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Amaris Elizabeth
  • Lifestyle
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    • Disclosure
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  • The Ultimate College Girl Holiday Gift Guide
Amaris Elizabeth
  • Lifestyle
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  • About Me
    • Disclosure
  • Contact
  • The Ultimate College Girl Holiday Gift Guide

In lifestyle, travel

A Day in the Life in Pyeongtaek

December 31, 2018 Be first to comment

A Day in the Life in Pyeongtaek
expand for more cookie goodness

This week, I’ve teamed up with Lauren from DiaryofaSpanglishGirl.com to be a part of her exciting series “A Day in the Life in…”. We’ll be bringing you similarities and differences between Pyeongtaek, South Korea and Alicante, Spain. Make sure to check out Lauren’s post over on her blog where she compares our locations.

My scheduling was off and I ended up being home in Pyeongtaek, which is a little further south than Seoul, on Documentation Day. That means I was near or on the Military base we’re associated with most of the day. When I write about ‘Post’ that just means I’m on the Military base. Feel free to ask me about any of the unfamiliar terms I use because; what’s common terminology to me may not be to you and I want you to understand what’s going on.

If you want to hear about my time in Seoul, check out my Seoul Food posts. With that said, I present to you a Christmas-themed “Day in the Life in…” Pyeongtaek, South Korea.

December 20, 2018 – A Day In The Life…

8:00 AM

I wake up quickly today. My favorite part of the country is the peaceful morning. In the city, daytime and nighttime blended with the constant background noise of speeding cars and foot traffic. Here, I can take a few extra minutes to myself before the day starts.

We had some snow earlier this month, but I don’t think we will have any more this year. That leaves the days extremely cold with biting wind. So far, this morning is revealing milder weather.

It takes me my usual 45 minutes to get ready, although I like to stretch it out most days. Fortunately, most stores in Korea don’t open until around 10 AM, so I’m not missing much regarding outside activities.

9:00 AM-ish

Today is Cookie Delivery Day. My family and I have been baking since Tuesday and today is the day we finally get them all shipped out (aka, drive around town dropping them off).

However, I still have a few cookies to finish. Apparently the two dozen sugar cookies I made and decorated the day before are not enough. Another two dozen await decoration in the kitchen.

My first job is to make the icing. It’s a simple task; my biggest obstacle is getting the perfect color. Once that’s done I start decorating!

day-in-the-life-1

11:00 AM

By 11 I’m pretty much done. The last few Santa and Christmas tree cookies are drying out on the counter. My family has already set out the plates and boxes for the cookies. Our dining table looks like a cookie boxing factory and between the festive plates, cellophane wrap, and ribbons – oh, have I mentioned the Christmas music playing in the background – yeah, Christmas is in full swing at my house.

While I clean up the kitchen my family starts dividing the cookies among all the plates. I believe there are over 30 plates and boxes combined. That’s okay though, we spent the past two days baking up a storm of family favorites, traditional German, and a few new Christmas treats. As a baker, that’s not too far off from a typical day in my life. Have a look at some of the cookies we made.

  • even-more-filled-cookie-trays
  • several-filled-cookie-trays
  • wrapped-cookie-tray

Look good, huh? The boxes are for my father’s co-workers, and we need to deliver them quickly. We’re out the door by 11:30 AM. Blue skies and warm weather greet me as I walk out the door. Fortunately, we live very close to Post so the whole delivery took under 30 minutes.

Sometime after that?

I skipped breakfast. We all skipped breakfast. That was not one of my best ideas today. Cookie Delivery is not fun on an empty stomach so we head to the cantina for some food. By now it’s almost twelve, but brunch is still in full swing. This is my first time eating there and I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality of their food.

My afternoon pit-stop at the cantina acts as fuel for most of the day. We head home and load the car up with more cookie trays. Then it’s back to Post for more deliveries. We loop around from the main gate, to the family housing, and finally the gym to drop off Christmas cookies. I feel like Santa, but instead of delivering toys I’m delivering cookies 🎅🏾.

4:30 PM-ish

I’m sorry, that girl who just had a lovely brunch at the cantina and is ready to seize the delivery day can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, cause she’s starving! This day has made it clear to me that Santa cookies aren’t to bribe him, but to help the poor man from passing out from hunger and exhaustion with all his deliveries. I’ve only done, like, five and I’m ready to stop.

Chinese take-out saves my energy. Our loyal Chinese is open all the time, except for Mondays for some reason. They’re even open Christmas day, you guys. Most stores in Korea, although they open later in the day, do open throughout the year. I’ve only seen them close for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) and Buddha’s birthday.

7:00 PM

Final delivery time. It’s already getting dark and by the time we make our final stop around 7 PM the night sky is overhead. Winters in Korea are frigid, but the worst part about them is the wind. Out here in the country, with very few buildings to act as a barrier, the winds cut particularly sharp.

Air quality is good today and I can see some stars in the sky. Our road is under construction so the dust from that obscures my sight a little. Despite this, I revel in the fresh air and inky overcast.

8:00 PM

I’m back home and ready to hit the sack. However, I want to get a shot of the cookies before they disappear. My family has a habit of snacking on leftover Christmas cookies so fast that none are left for Christmas day. Even now I’m out of Cinnamon Stars and Gingersnap cookies.

Despite low cookie quantities, poor lighting, and zero photography equipment I press on and manage to take at least one good picture of each remaining cookie type. I wish I took a picture of my actual setup because it looked insane. The finish photos turn out better than I expected.

After a long day of cookie decorating and delivering, I’m more than ready to fall into bed. This day was jam-packed; but this Christmas season I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Wrapping up A Day In the Life

Thanks for coming along for the day! Don’t forget to head over to Lauren’s post. Find out how her Thursday went and some similarities and differences between Pyeongtaek and Alicante here.

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Hi! I’m Amaris, a GMUK student majoring in Global Affairs. Welcome to my online creative outlet. I strongly believe sharing is caring and so I’m here to share my thoughts on school, travel, and life. Have a look around.

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amaris.elizabeth

➕college blogger at amariselizabeth.com
➕Junior at GMUK
➕studying abroad in South Korea 🇰🇷
➕ learn more below

Amaris Elizabeth
First Day of the Spring Semester ✨ I bought a First Day of the Spring Semester ✨  I bought a snake plant to be my study buddy this semester. Given my obsession with house plants, I give myself a month before my dorm turns into a jungle.  Also, it’s kinda crazy that I’m officially halfway through college?!
When I was younger, I would read books all the tim When I was younger, I would read books all the time. Every book I could get my hands on. My mother encouraged the reading and our house has a mini library full of books that I love. After I got my cellphone, I found myself reading physical books less often. I did have a wattpad phase, but I eventually stopped reading books for fun.  Last year I revisited a childhood hobby when I started a vegetable garden again and this year I want to start reading books. Physical books. Fiction, non-fiction, self help, humor, etc.  This will take some actual work, but when I cracked open @stephanieyeboah’s Fattily Ever After and started reading the first chapter, I found myself back in my beloved “reading bubble”. Here’s to getting lost in a good book again!
Every once in a while I have time to take pretty p Every once in a while I have time to take pretty pictures, but it never aligns with when I have a blog post written. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not cut out for the blogger/influencer life and will now be posting whenever I feel like it on my blog and all my social media 🤷🏾‍♀️. It’s still going to be good, just don’t expect anything on a regular schedule. Isn’t this a nice picture guys?
Shot by @that_gai_gai Shot by @that_gai_gai
The best investment I made in 2020 The best investment I made in 2020
The amount of toxic fumes I inhaled while making t The amount of toxic fumes I inhaled while making this might have given me slight brain damage, but the end results are cute 🥰
Departing Korea ➡️ Landing in Detroit _ _ ⁣ Departing Korea ➡️ Landing in Detroit 
_ _
⁣
Time is literally an illusion because my flight left Korea at 9:20 AM on Tuesday and landed in Detroit at 8 AM Tuesday?!
Turns out I actually do live in a #winterwonderlan Turns out I actually do live in a #winterwonderland ❄️
I have come to realize that I am a bitter optimist I have come to realize that I am a bitter optimist and still believe in a perfect world with happy endings. Instead of learning how to cope with the difficult parts of life, I avoid them like the plague. 
⁣
My optimism also lets me dream the biggest dreams. Most of the time my determination turns those dreams into reality. Sometimes, life throws me a curveball and I have to adjust.
⁣
When it comes to academics, my dreams have pretty much turned in to reality. I love my major, excel academically, and enjoy student life. By the end of next week I will have two years of college behind me and only two more to go.
⁣
Before I started college, my Nana told me she would dance and shout on my graduation day. She would wear her traditional dress and make as much noise as she wanted for her baby. But this Tuesday, my grandmother passed away from Covid-19 and my perfect world is broken.
⁣
My Nana thought I was the smartest, kindest, and most beautiful person ever, which I inherited directly from her. Our birthdays are only three days apart (proud cancer women) and we share the same middle name. She loves flowers and gardening. I do too. 
⁣
Right now I’m trying to figure out how to do this whole thing. My finals coincidentally all fall within the next two weeks so 2020 really wanted to stick it to me. It doesn’t feel right for me to do anything online without acknowledging this because I sure as heck am not having a merry Christmas. 
⁣
For now I am working hard to become the woman my grandmother saw in me and if that means pushing through these next few weeks, so be it.
Shoes! _ _ ⁣ It’s crazy how one word gives me Shoes!
_ _
⁣
It’s crazy how one word gives me flashbacks to that video, but “ohmygah, let’s get some shoes” is my motto. Some people buy new clothes to feel good. I buy the same kind of shoe in slightly different designs😅 You can’t show me a block heel I don’t like. Can anyone relate 🙋🏾‍♀️? #shoes
My beautiful plant babies have to share a corner t My beautiful plant babies have to share a corner to make space for the Christmas tree. Now that I see them all in one place I actually like the slightly crowded look. 🪴🌱
- -
Follow me in the @LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app to shop this post and get my exclusive app-only content!  #liketkit #LTKunder50 #StayHomeWithLTK #LTKhome
@liketoknow.it
http://liketk.it/32USV
I should stop posting food pics, but it’s kind o I should stop posting food pics, but it’s kind of the only thing I’ve got going on around here 🤷🏾‍♀️ 🍽
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