I left my home country after school, and have been living the solo traveller life ever since. Four years in Korea, and now – a fat girl in Europe – pursuing my dream of writing for a living.
My erratic posts go from happy to sad in a heartbeat, but at least I’m feeling something, right?
Join me for my stream of consciousness ramblings, poetry, and deepest, darkest secrets.
Additionally, for information on teaching English, and living a happy plus-size life (in Korea), check out the 2012/2013 archives.
Fat Girl in South Korea 
Just letting you know I nominated you for the Reader Appreciation Award. http://radaronelson.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/wow-award-2-reader-appreciation-award/
Amazing, thank you!
Merci de suivre mon blog. d–0.o–b
I’m so happy you found my little nook of the internet, as it’s lead me to yours. I’ve been reading your posts, what emotion you’re expressing. I appreciate your honesty and heartfelt seeking of happiness.
I always believe that if you’re bothering to look for something you can most certainly find it.
I look forward to seeing where your journey goes.
Lots of peace,
Andrea
you said you’ve been losing weight right? ;u; mind to share? i’m dietting too and it’s so hard for me
Hi! So glad you’ve found my blog. I see you’re on a similar journey. I am, however, a lot heavier than you – I visited your blog. So, what I have been doing may not particularly work (as well) for you. But, I did write a few posts about what I have been doing, successful tips etc. Here are some: https://tjoetsie.wordpress.com/2013/04/15/how-i-am-losing-weight-in-south-korea/ https://tjoetsie.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-losing-weight/
You can check out my tags and click on them to see what else I have been saying about weight loss. Hope some of it helps! Good luck.
What city are you living in? I’m in Ulsan.
I’m in Ansan. It’s about an hour bus ride from Ulsan.
Oh nice. I’ve never been to Ansan. If you’re ever in Ulsan, let me know.
Yeah, definitely! Although I’m never that side. But we can always make a plan to meet!
I don’t know if this is appropriate or not… but I stumbled on to your blog after googling “fat in Korea”. Admittedly I have yet to read your blog before posting this comment, but here goes: I was just wondering if it might be possible for us to chat. I won’t go into much details here, but I was currently accepted into the study abroad program from my school to go to Korea. Although I am excited I am also filled with anxiety because I too am struggling with my weight. I guess I was just hoping that you might be willing to talk.. I just need someone to talk to who will understand the constant rollercoaster of emotions as I prepare for my departure.
Anyway, hopefully you’ll see this message..
Cheers!
& congratulations of your award!
Hi
Just wanted to chat and see how you were doing. My wifi is on and off due to renovations so I may not get the chance to chat to you until maybe later in the month due to tiling and carpentry people walking around here and unplugging everything.
I see you’re back on track again, I’m hoping to lose a bit of weight too this year, but with studying and exams around every corner I feel like I never have enough time. Most of the time I’m too exhausted to drag myself onto the orbitrek to do any kind of exercise.
Anyways I wanted to ask if I could contact you via your email address. I feel I would be rude if I just started emailing you on the address because you haven’t given me permission to (polite tends to be my default setting).
I do want to ask you a few (many) questions about agencies and stuff and I don’t want to fill up your blog with all my questions.
Have a good night or day in whichever time zone you in.
Ray
Hi~
So rude of me, I am sorry I haven’t gotten back to you.
Yes, definitely, you can e-mail me. Do you have my e-mail address from this (or another) post?
Hallo!
It’s been a very long while since I’ve been on here and it’s not from a lack of trying. We’re done with the tiling and other important stuff so now it’s just the furniture. I really want to have my own bed again. Being 22 and sharing with a 15 year old furnace sister of mine is torture in summer.
I had seen it (your email) on another post but I seem to have forgotten it now. Eish ja with varsity and a test on Monday I’m really just managing it through for now.
My parents and I have been talking, they’re thinking of moving from South Africa eventually and want me to run whatever venture they thinking on running…and I do not want to be stuck with all the responsibility. Anyways I rather tell you all via e-mail so please do leave it for me or e-mail me on rebelliouscat at hotmail . com (I don’t know if this website allows for other site names to be mentioned hence the ‘at’ rather than @)
I do have a potential lust interest (not love because he has a gf of 6 yrs), not to forget the fact that she is stick thin and yes you’ve guessed it…I feel really insecure about this whole thing. But I can guarantee that I’m not the one following him around. It’s weird, I’ll explain it later.
Hope you been having a great time back in S.A. and I hope to chat to you later.
Hi
Like someone else who commented above I also came across your blog by googling ‘being fat in Korea’. I’ve found myself in a bit of a rut and am really exciting about the prospect of teaching in SK from September. The only problem (well at least the main one after ‘ahhh am I really brave enough to move half way round the world?!) is my weight. I’ve always been big and whilst I’d rather be smaller I’m generally happy enough in my own skin, however after researching life in SK I’m getting increasingly concerned about the reception I’ll have. Any advice, personal experience etc would be greatly appreciated as this anxiety is really starting to make the ‘ahhh am I brave enough?!’ worries worse than I thought they’d be.
Hi!
I’m just about to finish up my third year in Korea, and I am applying for jobs in Saudi and Bali – I got both, but am still pretty sure I will end up back in Korea.
In my experience – before I came to Korea, a woman that was friends with my family who was teaching in Korea scared me. She told me they’ll blatantly call you fat etc. I was expecting the worst, but I honestly have not felt any discrimination here because of my size. I definitely have Koreans looking at me, but they look at all foreigners here, because we’re different. The only thing I could consider as discrimination, would be the fact that they barely cater for big sized people at clothing stores. I have had one or two men at the train station tell me I am big, but I brushed that off. My friend is thin, and she has had awful co workers who treat her quite badly and call her fat. THAT is the only case I have heard of.
Honestly, I owe a LOT of what I have, to Korea. I could be in Saudi making 1/3rd more money or beautiful Bali, but there is something bringing me back to Korea. It’s clean, it’s service friendly, fast internet, efficient transportation.
I really hope I have helped you?
I absolutely love your posts, really really helpful. I myself have also struggled with weight loss recently and have gone through a big breakup so your honesty about your own personal struggles was really refreshing to read 🙂 I am currently also studying my PGCE through Unisa and I am wanting to teach English in Korea…Would you be able to answer some questions I have? Maybe via email?
Thanks again!
A great sense of motivation, keep it up!
Thanks! I’ve been kind of less focused on weight to determine my happiness for the last few months but am still a work in progress. Watching my weight, staying relatively stable but not losing per se.
Thanks for the comment!
Hi! Just a quick note to ask whether you would mind me featuring your blog on mine. We are making a show about South Africans abroad and we kicked off the season in Seoul. I am now writing a blog with travel tips and we are adding links to other SAn blogs where people can get alternative information about life in Korea. Can you please get in touch with me?
Hey there! Yes, sure! Sounds like an interesting concept. If you’d like more information from me – send me your email address and we can chat more.