Loose Ends

In my last post, many details of our upcoming Korean adventure were still up in the air, but it's all coming together now. We've had some important questions answered, flight are booked, loose ends here at home are being tied up and we're even starting some exciting new methods of 'saving' for travel.

At the time of my last post, our biggest concern with everything was that we weren't positive where we would end up, and there was no guarantee that we'd be in the same city within Chungnam province, as our applications had to proceed as individuals, as opposed to 'couple'. Chungnam is triple the size of Ottawa and somewhat rural, so it could have been a serious issue. What made it worse was that you find out exactly where you're placed on literally the very last day of orientation, only a few days before you start teaching! I emailed our EPIK coordinator to see if they could make an exception and let us know which city(ies) we were in so that we could plan. While he couldn't provide us this information he did let me know that we 'would be sharing accommodations'. That is absolutely plenty! We really don't care where we're placed within Chungnam, as long as we're together we're more than happy. He said that they are currently looking for a place for us, and that it may be small. That's fine, we're into the whole 'tiny house living' concept anyhow. Also, they have to spend a minimum of $400 per person on accommodation, so if they find a place for us that is less than $800 per month, we get the balance as a housing allowance. Can you say 'massive sigh of relief'?

Secondly, we booked our flights. We officially leave Canada on February 18th. Ottawa to Vancouver and Vancouver to Seoul. A total of nearly 19 hours of travel time. The flight from Vancouver to Seoul is eleven and a half hours and so we splurged and got the $120 upgrade for the extra leg room in economy. I was lucky enough to win an internal work competition that ended in December and my prize was a $1500 Air Canada travel voucher, so we used that, and after everything was said and done we paid $860 for everything. These are one-way tickets, keep in mind. Also, after the first month in Korea we get a $1300 bonus that is meant to cover the travel expense, so that will be nice, as we only spend $860 total and will get $2600 in return!

With regards to taking caring of loose ends here at home, we've made lots of headway there and (fingers crossed) we tie up a MASSIVE one today. We met with our financial adviser and took care of some banking / mortgage stuff, notified our internet service provider, hydro, gas etc of our departure and are starting to get many more prospective tenants wanting to see our place. A couple came yesterday to see it and we have three more showings today. It would be awesome if one of these materializes into a tenant and ideally a long term one, as we hope to not have to move back into this house on our return but rather keep it as an investment and purchase another, smaller home. It would also be nice if one of these viewings results in a tenant, as it would allow us to just focus on organizing everything in the house and not have to worry about keeping it 'show ready'. Either way, things are starting to come together and when people ask us if we're excited, we finally feel like we can maybe, possibly say yes.

What we are excited about is travel hacking. It's a concept I've been learning lots about through podcasts and blogs. It's a pretty massive sub-culture of sorts, where you use programs, promotions and offers from credit card and travel companies to your benefit, accumulating travel rewards points for free / cheap flights, hotel stays, car rentals and more. I've already put some of these practices to use and by the time we're ready for our first 'out of Korea' adventure (likely summer time) we'll have enough Aeroplan points to fly to New Zealand or Australia return, or anywhere within Asia (multiple times) FREE! With one month to go, everything is coming together and we're feeling more and more confident about this new adventure!

A New Year, A New (Ad)Venture

With 2015 comes what will prove to be another massive year for Julia and I. We're not shy about taking risks and going on adventures, but this one is certainly the most 'life altering' to date.

About a year ago we committed to teaching English in Korea. It's a great opportunity to travel (especially in Asia) while having a very rewarding job. We know countless people that have done and and / or are still doing this and we've heard nothing but positive experiences. Julia has a cousin that has been over there for nearly 6 years now and has been able to travel and see and do things that would make up a lifetime of experiences. I have friends that went 10 years ago and had a great time, people we know from our time in Australia that teach in Korea and China still (5 years later) and countless others. We knew that it was a 'now or never' sort of scenario, as we had just bought a house in Ottawa, both have great jobs (which doesn't make the decision very easy) and  the next 'logical' step was to start a family. Maybe that's what we're 'running away from' ?? Who knows.

We decided that to play it safe and apply through EPIK (English Program in Korea), as this is the government run program in South Korea and would be our best bet for our first year overseas. After we get to Korea and fulfill our contract with EPIK, we could choose to re-sign with that program or perhaps teach at one of the many hagwons (private schools or academies) in South Korea. Alternatively, once we gain some experience, we could look at moving to Japan and teaching a year there, as part of either the JET program (similar to EPIK) or more likely, a private school. There are opportunities in China, Thailand, Taiwan (all of Asia really), the Middle East, South America, Europe etc... Essentially, anywhere in the world where English isn't the native language, there is opportunity for ESL teachers to find employment. We'll be teaching in an elementary school,  however we're also taking a specialization in teaching business English, which would offer more opportunities to teach a different type of student altogether.

The process was long, and at times very confusing, but as it stands now, our contracts are on their way from Seoul, and certain details are still up in the air. We originally applied as a couple. This means that they place you in the same school, or within very close proximity and you get a larger apartment. As it turned out, all of these positions were taken and we had to continue with our applications as individuals or withdraw. We continued as individuals. That being said, our coordinator at EPIK knows we're a couple, they have our marriage certificate on file and as it stands now, we've both been placed in the Chungnam province. The only thing left to find out is exactly which city we're in and how close our schools are to each other. The absolute worst case scenario is if we're in opposite ends of the province (it's about 3 times the size of Ottawa). If we're placed very far apart, we'll have a decision to make. Likely, one of us will accept the position, and the other will look for employment at a Hagwon that is close to where we will live. We'll wait though to see if this concern even comes to fruition, and if it's the case, we'll deal with it at that time.


 Chungnam Province is located southwest of Seoul, and is the furthest point that is still serviced by the Seoul metropolitan subway system (bonus!). It has a total population of a little over 2,000,000 people. There are 8 cities in Chungnam and the biggest is Cheonan, with nearly 600,000 residents (it's a big drop off from there). Chungnam is the 'wealthiest' province in South Korea. We originally requested to be placed in Busan, but are by no means disappointed to be placed where we were! We're also quite close to Incheon International Airport! If all goes well, we'll be taking off for Korea in roughly six weeks!

That's it for now. I'm going to do my best to keep up with this blog as we travel over the next however many years... and if you haven't already hooked up with us on social media, do it now!

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Red Earth

There is nothing better than waking up to the fresh, earthy taste of beet juice first thing in the morning! If you are new to juicing, this is a great recipe to start with. The sweetest of the apples and carrots balances out the pungency of the ginger and lemons, while the beet blends all the flavours with its' earthy satisfying taste.

 

Notes about juicing:

• use organically grown produce whenever possible for greater nutrient density and to avoid pesticides and genetic modification
• thoroughly wash all produce before juicing
• peel all citrus fruits (as the peels are bitter and can be toxic); peel fruits and veggies that have been waxed

Ingredients

 

1 inch piece ginger 

1/2 lemon

2 apples

1 beet

6 small carrots (or 3 large)

 

Peel all ingredients and juice in order as listed above. Use lower setting when juicing ginger and lemon, then switch to higher setting for apples, beet and finish with the carrots. Enjoy within one hour maximum of juicing. The more time the juice is exposed to air, the more oxidation will occur and therefore the less nutritious the juice becomes.

 

 

Creamy Brussels Sprout Slaw

This Salad is a great combination of sweet, tangy and fresh, and loaded with quality nutrition. Brussels sprouts are a great source of a number of vitamins and minerals, particularly Folate, Vitamin K and Vitamin C.  With the health fats from pecans and extra virgin olive oil, as well as the garlic, this is also a great heart healthy meal. Just remember to not go too overboard with the dressing, as it is fairly calorie dense, and dressings and sauces are where people tend to go overboard and end up consuming many more calories than they think they are.

Salad

1.5 lbs brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

1 large navel orange, flesh removed from skin

1 cup dried cranberries

1 1/4 cup chopped pecans

 

 

Wash brussels sprouts, cut off ends, cut from top to bottom and slice very finely with a sharp knife (or use a food processor with a shredding disc) and place in a large bowl. Peel orange, open into segments and remove skin from the flesh. Use your hands to break apart flesh into small pieces. Top with dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Mix well to combine.

 

 

Dressing

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

Juice of 2 small lemons (or 1 regular sized)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil/avocado oil

1/2 cup tahini paste

3 tsp. miso

3 tsp. maple syrup

3/4 cup water

Prepare the dressing by whisking all ingredients in a mixing bowl (or combine using a food processor).

 

That's it! Pour the dressing over a portion of salad (be careful not to go overboard!) and enjoy! Also keep in mind that the base of this salad is Brussels Sprouts. Just saying.

 

Plant Based

With so many 'diets' out there these days, the understanding of each can easily get misconstrued through second hand (or third or fourth of fifth etc) interpretation. So many claim to be the ideal way of eating, but how can that be true for everyone? It's our opinion that you should eat the foods that make you feel and perform the best, that you enjoy the taste of, that fit your lifestyle from a 'time to prepare' standpoint and that you simply believe in. We believe in a plant based diet.

A Plant Based diet is one that focuses on getting the nutrition your body needs from plants (duh). While Julia is a "vegan" (because she uses no products whatsoever that are animal derived, in whole or part, including cosmetics, clothing, accessories, cleaning supplies etc) her diet is 'plant focused'. A 'vegan' diet doesn't necessarily mean a healthy diet. Coke, oreos, French fries etc, all vegan, but don't necessarily resemble plants, and certainly don't improve health and performance. A truly plant based diet focuses on whole, unprocessed plant foods. Fruit, vegetables, beans, grains etc. Our diet is largely fruits and vegetables, some grains (mostly those that are gluten free), nuts, seeds, & beans. We do use some nutritional supplements to get additional protein in our diet, typically adding plant protein powders to smoothies.

We focus on creating meals that fit certain criteria:
1. They need to taste amazing. This is left to Julia.
2. They need to provide a balance of macro and micronutrients.
3. They need to be realistic in terms of time for preparation. We're both busy and so the quicker we can whip 'em up, the better.

If you're not vegan, not a big deal. A lot of the meals we create can easily be accompanied by fish, chicken, beef, etc. We just urge you to buy free range, grass fed, wild caught, organic etc. Better for you, better for the animal, better for the world.

Bottom line is that you really can get everything your body needs from sources that are not animal derived. Just because we were brought up on milk, meat and potatoes, cheese and crackers, lunch meats and a plethora of other animal products that we're led to believe 'do our body good', doesn't necessarily mean we need to still believe this.

We urge you to do some self exploration. Try some different ways of eating. Cut out certain foods, adopt new ones, see what foods make you feel best and regain your health, energy and life!

Raw Rainbow Noodles with Spicy Almond Sauce

This is a fresh take on the traditional pad Thai recipe. Made with a combination of colourful raw veggies and a deliciously addictive almond butter sauce.

(serves 2-3)

Noodles

• 2 medium zucchinis
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 medium beet
• 1 long red pepper, sliced in thin rings
• 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
• handful fresh cilantro

Peel zucchinis and slice them into thirds, then spiralize them into thin noodles. Repeat with carrots. Peel beet and slice in half before spiralizing. Transfer zucchini, carrot and beet to a large serving bowl. Top with red pepper, green onion and cilantro. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.


Sauce

• juice of 1 lime
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 inch piece ginger, chopped
• 1 Thai chili pepper
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup or agave
• 2 Tbsp. tamari
• 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 3/4 cup water   

In a blender or food processor, blend all sauce ingredients. Sauce will thicken if kept in refrigerator before serving, so add 2-4 Tbsp. water to thin if necessary before adding to noodles. When ready to serve, pour sauce over vegetables and toss to combine well. Serve and enjoy!

 

Redemption Run

Well today was the first race of 5 races in 5 weeks for Brian (and at least 2 in 5 weeks for Julia). The half marathon was at 8:00AM and Julia's 5k wasn't until 8:45AM, so we took separate cars. The race site isn't too far from our place, but parking was fairly limited, so we both left early just to be sure. I was up shortly after 5AM (the usual wake up time lately) and Julia was up just before 6AM.

My morning routine was pretty much as it normally is. I had my espresso and standard morning smoothie. This morning I also had 2 bananas and a serious mug of beet juice. Beet juice is a source of organic nitrates (not to be confused with those used as preservatives, which should be avoided). The theory (lots of evidence showing promise, but you know how these things go) is that it helps increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscle. Sure, why not. I like the earthiness taste of beet juice anyways, so no big deal. It's just alarming sometimes (especially when dehydrated also) when you're pee is a deep blood red. ANYWAYS. I had the beet juice and bananas and a little bit of cytomax. Got to the race site and parked with ~15 - 20 minutes of time to spare. Well, not really to 'spare' as we still needed to pick up our race kits, bib number, timing chip etc and affix to our person. Everything went off without a hitch and I got to the start with time to spare. Time to pretend I was warming up, or something.

There were only 25 or so people in this half marathon (more in the 11k and 5k, but still a small race) which was kind of neat! I got right up to the front and was actually the first person across the timing mats at the start, that was a first! Anyways, the first kilometer was pretty quick and there were 4 guys ahead of me. One of which I wasn't terribly worried about. He was actually out front, but I had a feeling he wasn't all that experienced and would gas (he did). After about 3k I was in 4th and right behind third. We stayed like that for about another 3k and then I passed him at an aid station and he hung on behind me. The course is two laps of 9k or so with a bit extra at the beginning and end to get it up to 21.1km. On the second lap, we started to catch and pass the back of the pack 11k runners. Nice to not be so lonely out there! At around 13k I realized that I was actually starting to distance myself from the guy behind me a bit and so just tried to hold that pace (~4:20 - 4:25/km). Around 15k it started to hurt and I had definitely slowed, but so did he. I looked back at around 17km and he was probably about a minute behind, so as much as it sucked, I just kept reminding myself of how much fast he'd have to run than me over the last 4, 3, 2 and then 1km. He never caught me. Right at the end there is a small out and back and I saw that I had 260m on him with about 1.5k to go. That was plenty. I took it easy and grinded up the final climb and congratulated some of the 11k folks coming towards the end of their race. I enjoyed the last 250m or so into the finish line. I actually REALLY enjoy these small races. Everyone gets their moment crossing the line, instead of just being another person in a procession. Julia was waiting for me at the finish and snapped some pics. Too bad we couldn't get any of her in action!

I finished in 1:34:16... good enough for 3rd overall and not awful considering all of the training I've done this week in my lead up to Tremblant 70.3. I actually ran a bit faster last Saturday on a 21.4k training run, but that was flat, cooler and I was able to get some calories in during.

Julia kicked butt too! 23:52 for her 5k and was 2nd female out of 36, 9th overall out of 72! Not bad on a hilly course. She'll easily go under 22 minutes this year. EASILY!


See Julia's Race Result on Sportstats

See Brian's Race Result on Sportstats

We got home and Julia left to go to her Greco Lean and Fit Workout! WHAT A MACHINE!