Leaving

Today was my last day in Seoul. Really really sad. I have so many emotions going on right now-

What I Won't Miss About Korea-

Tofu

The subway when it is hot and crowded

Ajumas and Harmonies shoving me whenever they want

Always being a guest- I am treated so well here and with so much hospitality, but I miss just living and not always being treated specially just because I am a guest. And it's hard because as soon as I get past this, it seems like it's always time to leave....

Not understanding conversations, especially with my friends! Since I am in Korea, I don't say anything when my friends speak Korean in front of me. However, it is hard to be out somewhere and have absolutely nothing to say, or not know what's going on. I have so much empathy for anyone trying to learn English living in the US.

Summer in the city. It's too hot here and nowhere to escape!

Elevators! I hate having to wait for them! HG's apartment is on the seventh floor, and I swear, it always seems to take the longest possible time to finally get to us!

Riding the bus when I have to stand

Not being able to speak Korean.

The noises Koreans make when they brush their teeth! haha!

Umbrellas

What I Will Miss

My friends. So much.

My friend's families.

The big city.

The subway!

The bus!

Speaking Korean

Bowing and saying "anyoung-hasseo" to people older than me

Sitting on the floor, shoes off at restaurants

The freedom

The amazing kindness and hospitality the people of Seoul have given me

The food- kind of. Seriously tasty, though! Spicy=all food!

The cool fashion

How healthy the food is

Chopsticks! They are so fun!!

Eating fruit every night

Things that I can't even really describe on paper, like the feeling I have when I'm here... So amazing!

Reflecting on my time here, I know that I couldn't have possibly had a more amazing experience. I was talking with my parents last night, and they made the comment that I couldn't have had as wonderful of a trip with a travel agent. My friends and their families opened their doors to me, a stranger, and made me feel so comfortable and at ease. I can't even express how grateful I am to them and to their amazing hospitality. My friends were seriously angels to me- I love them all so much!

I'm trying not to say, "Oh, I'm so sad to leave...", which I am. Really really sad! What I want to say instead is how happy I am that I came. This has been an experience I will absolutely never ever forget and one that I am so grateful I was able to have.

Goodnight, Seoul

Bonding with the Yun family

Quiet day today!
Last night I had a weird dream about going home, so this morning I was kind of in a strange mood.. I was by myself as Hyun Gi had her chemistry hagwan, so what did I do to brighten my spirits? Go shopping, of course! Haha, I spent a few hours in the Lotte World mall, and it was really fun!

I met Ajuma on my way home (she was just coming back from golf practice...) and we had a nice LITTLE conversation! I was proud of myself, as I really rely on my Cotter friends to act as translators or serious language helpers when speaking with the 부모님 (parents). We talked about simple things, but I was proud nonetheless!

I had lunch with Ajuma and then she left to meet Hyun Gi to go shopping, so I was home alone until Oppa came home. He's a really nice guy, and his English is rapidly improving! We chatted a little, he speaking to me in broken English and me replying in very broken Korean, and then relaxed until HG and Ajuma came home.

I was supposed to meet one of the guys I worked with this summer for dinner, but our plans fell through, so I was looking at a lonely (oh, the drama! haha!) night, as HG was meeting a friend. However, Oppa so graciously took me under his wing and took me with him to his golf practice. Golf here is super super popular (Ajuma, Adoshi, and Oppa are planning to go tomorrow if it doesn't rain..), but space to practice is very very limited. There are buildings (or roofs) with huge green nets all around Seoul. Inside these nets are golf putting stations. Really cool. I'll post a picture later, but tonight I'm kind of lazy...!

When I got home it was about nine, so Oppa and I had dinner. I was surprised to find Adoshi home. Usually he either comes home around eleven or I don't see him at all. This week, though, he's been home for dinner three times, seriously a big deal! We went on a walk together around the Lotte lakes. So pretty much I had quality bonding time with the Yun family! So nice!

Tomorrow is another fun day in Seoul.
I am a lucky girl!

No creative title

Hmmm, I don't have too much in the excitement department to write about! The past few days have been very pleasant for me, but don't bring much to actually write about! I met with some friends for lunch, this time the Cotter underclassmen! I have decided that my favorite Korean food is any warm noodle (they eat cold noodles in the summer which I don't care too much for...) that is in a spicy broth. So so good! We had them after our shabu-shabu (basically hot broth is put on the table and we put veggies and meat into it...), and it was amazing!! Mashta! (Delicious)My second favorite food is Korean dumplings, usually sausage or some type of meat ground with green onions and other herbs, steamed inside a thin dough. SO GOOD!

Tomorrow I'm meeting some of my work friends for dinner. Unfortunately I won't see Ji Young, as she and her family are vacationing in AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND, but Hyun Gi and I are going to meet her next Monday, so all is well.

I had my last Korean class yesterday... Kind of sad at the time- I've seen some of the people in my class five days a week for two months! But, it was really nice to not have homework to worry about and to sleep in a little later this morning! I'm getting over my loss pretty quickly!!

Hmmm, today Hyun Gi and I ventured in to In-Sa-Dong, a tourist place with tons of pretty shops and vendors. I was there once with Ji Won, Hanna, and Eun Chun in my first few days in Seoul. Wow, time flies. If you didn't know, I'm leaving for the US on Tuesday. I seriously can't believe it. The whole thing seems so surreal- that the two lives I've lived (that in Winona and in Seoul) can co-exist in such a short amount of time. I'm really looking forward to seeing my family and friends, this is for sure. However, Seoul is so much cooler than Winona! I love the lifestyle the people here live- meeting friends, all of the shops, the beautiful lights, the endless amounts of things to do! I honestly can't picture myself at home right now! Ahhh, so weird!

I just want to make this clear, though: Seeing my fam and friends will make coming home so amazing! It's just the re-adjusting that is maybe going to be hard. My mom forsaw this, and at the time I didn't really know what she meant, but life will be different, that's for sure! I'm looking forward to it, though.

As much as I love Seoul, a city in the summer is not that fun. I always wondered why New Yorkers made such a big deal about going to the Hampton's for the summer, and now I know why. In Winona when it is hot, I wear athletic shorts, tank tops, throw my hair up however, go around barefoot, and swim whenever I want. Here we are surrounded by heat-radiating concrete, and on the subways and buses by heat-radiating humans. We always have to look nice and swimming isn't that accessible here. Basically, summer is something to get through in a big city, whereas in a smaller town it is something to savor.

Also- today I decided that I have divided my time in Seoul into two parts:
Before I cut my hair and after.

This may seem kind of lame, but to me, before I cut it, I think of myself as a shy, naive little girl, wide-eyed and timid. Now I feel much more secure in myself and in what I have to offer. Is this comparison completely accurate? No, but I find myself seriously defining my time here by the length of my hair! Strange....

Cool Cotter Korean Kids (and me!)

Last night was a fun one.

The majority of the members of the Cotter class of 2008 (Korean population, that is!) met in Gang-nam for dinner last night, and it was a lot of fun! We met at a coffee shop at six, Ji Won, our party-planner, of course strolling in around six-fifteen (haha! love you, Ji Won!! ㅋㅋㅋㅋ)! After all the hugs and customary "how is your summer going? When do you leave for school?" questions, we headed out to our restaurant for sam-gyup-sal, or a thick, bacon-like strip of pork cooked in front of you on a barbecue. This is a dish I'm not usually a big fan of, but the more I eat it, the more I like it. In Korea, whenever food is cooked on a barbecue, we use lettuce leaves and other types of leaves to wrap it in, putting a spicy sauce on it and other garnishes. Tasty!

We spent the night just laughing and having fun, enjoying each other's company before we all go our separate ways. For me, it was a little hard because whenever the Cotter Koreans get together, they obviously speak Korean. I don't understand much of what they say, so sometimes it is frustrating, but I had a really fun time last night. Kind of bitter sweet, as I leave in a week and it was the last time I would see many of my friends! It is also cool because some of my classmates act really different when in Korea with Koreans than they do in the US. I don't think it's because they are "two faced" or anything like that, rather they are finally in their comfort zone, at home eating their own food, speaking their own language, dressing in their own style, doing things the Korean way. It was a fun night!

This afternoon I met up with Eun Chun Onni and had lunch with her friends. I described this in one of my last blogs, how one of her friend's mom wanted to meet me and treat ALL of us to lunch. We met her and she was so kind! She was really encouraging about my Korean! Also, this friend, Ji Young, lives in a building that is inhabited by Alex, a really really famous Korean singer (who happens to be Ji Young's FAVORITE!). I still can't get over how cool it is that Korean celebrities mingle so much with the everyday Koreans!

Lunch was fun- a yummy buffet with some American food (SALSA!) Eun Chun's friends are really cool, and I was really happy I could hang out with them again. They don't really speak English, but they were really patient with my poor Korean!

Tonight Hyun Gi and I went running around the lakes by her house. She is so into her work-out program, and there is some serious improvement being made! Hyun Gi is getting buff! Tonight I had a revelation- I was saying how I like exercising in Korea better because it isn't as intense as in America. She told me most adult Koreans don't run because it is hard on their knees, so they power walk instead. It hit me then that Koreans focus on overall health- good diet, healthy body, etc, whereas Americans focus on not having FAT. We do whatever it takes- crash dieting, lypo, over exercising, to rid our bodies of the all evil fat! Koreans have a much more rounded view of health.

Weekend with Eun Chun Onni!

Onni in her neighborhood! Ajuma, Onni, Song-Joon!

I just got back from a really fun weekend with my friend, Eun Chun. Before I go any further I feel I need to clarify something. In Korea, respect for those older than ourselves is very important, so when I speak to an older girl or boy, I call them, "Onni" (언니) and "Oppa" (업바), respectively. Boys use different names to address older girls and boys. Eun Chun is older than me, so I use the name "onni" with her, but I use it more as a nickname than a term of respect.

Anyway- Hyun Gi and I rushed off Friday night to meet Onni at the subway station. Eun Chun's dad is a pastor at a church, and we were going to meet early enough so we could go to the 9:30 Friday worship service. HG and Eun Chun briefly said hi, and then Eun Chun and I bolted off into the rain where her dad's car was waiting for us. He had to be there right at nine thirty, as he is the pastor, but Onni and I didn't so we went to her HOUSE (will describe later) and I met her mom and sister. I had met Onni's mom at graduation this spring, and she is so incredibly kind! She speaks a little English, and I speak a little Korean, so we were able to communicate fairly well! Onni's sister's name is Song-Joon. She is one year younger than I am and looks just like the average, fun-loving high schooler. That is, until you see her play the piano! She all of the sudden just whipped off with this ridiculously insanely complicated piece, her fingers flying a mile a minute. She practices hours a day, going to piano hagwans (schools) after school each day and practicing for several more hours after that. The funny thing is that Onni says she isn't even considered that good in Korea. In order to be a music major in a Seoul college (the only colleges that are given much creditability are those IN Seoul), one must face intense competition. Insanely intense. Song-Joon is a senior this year and has a stressful time ahead of her!

The house. In Korea, apartments are everywhere. Space is at such a premium that houses are pretty much not even a question when people consider new property to buy or rent. Onni lives in an older part of Seoul, and therefor there are still some houses that are left. Hers is a lot like any American house- a fence, two stories, little deck. However, these houses are going to be torn down and replaced by apartments in the coming year, so Onni's parents are going to have to move... Sad.

Back to my weekend: Onni and I went to the church around ten or ten thirty, and when I walked in I was surprised by what I saw! Koreans are typically very traditional, reserved people, in my mind, at least, so imagine me walking to a church, music blasting, drums banging, people shouting, people crying, all in the name of the Lord! It was really cool! We spent the next hour and a half or so singing, praying, and listening to Onni's dad speak. I guess once a month there is a really intense worship service that goes from nine-thirty until TWO AM! Onni left at "half-time", after we were served yummy bread by the nice church ladies. I was amazed at how many old 할모니's (Harmonie's/Grandmas) came up to me, squeezing me, holding my hands, and welcoming me/blessing me. Really fun! So nice!

Onni and I left and went home, just talking for a few hours until her mom and sister came home. I learned that Onni's dad is so busy he usually doesn't sleep at home. He is head minister, so he does a four-thirty am worship service every morning, all the weddings, funerals, visitations, and tons of meetings and prayer things. Besides all of this, he is somehow really involved in some type of school or college, and I think he does something else, too, but I can't remember! Needless to say, he is really busy! I only saw him twice, outside of church, of course. And although I didn't really get to meet him, he was so kind and full of energy when I met him, very high spirited! He's really funny!

So, Onni and I went to bed and then woke up around ten or so. Iwas really excited when Eun Chun's mom had, among the various other Korean dishes, pancakes on the table! They were really tasty, and it was really thoughtful of her to go the extra mile for me! Eun Chun said that her family is really into eating American foods, especially her dad! And I guess her family is a little nontraditional in the sense that her mom doesn't really cook that often, and she hates cleaning so Onni's dad sometimes does it!

Eun Chun spent our day in the Co-Ex mall, absolutely hands-down the nicest mall I have EVER been in! It was so pretty and had so many restaurants and shops. I must describe one experience..

Everyone who went to Cotter High School was aware of the super cutsey school items (post-its, pencil cases, pens, etc.) that all Koreans toted. Eun Chun and I went into a store that sold these things, and I have to say I think I was mesmerized by how CUTE everything was! I was seriously looking at everything, thinking how I had to have it and how I wanted it so much. It was ridiculous! This stuff was so CUTE (and I hate using this word, but it was!) that I felt compelled to buy, buy, buy! I did buy a few things, but nothing excessive. I have to say, I felt relieved when I walked out of the store, like the products were calling out to me but couldn't entice me once I walked out the doors! Haha! Weird but true!

We walked around a little more and then went to.... the KIMCHI field museum! For real, there was a kimchi museum in the mall! (Kimchi is one food that Koreans eat at absolutely every meal.)

Onni and I left and met her mom for dinner. First we stopped by the infamous sticker pictures (!) and then headed of for shabu-shabu! Mmmmhhhh! Shabu-Shabu is a Japanese food that is pretty much just vegetables and meet in water. You cook it at your table, so you control when to put different ingredients in. Tasty!

After that we just hung out at the house. Onni was really tired so she went to bed early, I read and relaxed.

(Kimchi! ㅋㅋㅋㅋ)

Sunday was good! We woke up around nine, had breakfast (mine was a subway sandwich! Onni's mom wasn't going to be home to make breakfast, so she had me buy a sub for the morning!!) and then got ready for church. The 11:00 service was much more traditional than the Friday night worship, but I was again welcomed whole-heartily by the congregation. After the first service, the church ladies always feed the congregation, alternating between noodles and rice every week. After eating, Onni and I went home for about an hour, relaxing, and then headed back for the second service. The second was less formal and slightly shorter than the first. It was fun! We sing a lot, and now that my Korean is better I can read the words and sing along!

Later in the day we were able to meet Eun Chun's church friends. We met them at Onni's house for snacks and the weekly music concert on tv. They were really kind and indulgent in my poor Korean! I really liked them, and am going to meet them again tomorrow. One of the boys that Eun Chun is friends with's Mom is friends with Eun Chun's mom. I guess that she saw me singing in Korean at church and I bowed and said "안녕하새요" (Anyoung-hasseo) to her, following Eun Chun's lead, and she wants to meet me at her house briefly tomorrow and then is treating me, Eun Chun, and her three other church friends for lunch! Wow! So kind! I only hope she doesn't expect me to be fluent...!!

The rest of the night we just had fun relaxing together. It's a sad time for both of us because Onni actually leaves the day before I do. Ahh! Where is the time going?? I was really sad to leave her house. Really sad.... I wish I could have spent more time with her family, but it's so hard! So many people to visit!!!

Me

Onni

Song-Joon

Pictures

Me helping Oppa with his English pronounciation! "Realm" is our most challenging word to date..
Adoshi, me, Hyun Gi, and Ajuma on my birthday morning!


Jeju!
I'm going to Eun Chun's house today and I'm really excited! I don't have much to write about, so I'm stealing some of HG's pictures from Jeju/birthday to post! Enjoy!

Rain. Lots and lots of rain.

By July 24th, I thought we would be out of the woods with the rainy season here in Seoul. Apparently, I was wrong. Instead, it decided to hold back most of June and every weekday in July in order to completely downpour this week! Ahhh! So much water!

I don't have much to write about in my daily life, so I'm using this as a random reflection time.
1. Koreans obviously use chopsticks. For everything- meat, rice, veggies, noodles, (note: noodles does not include Italian food. Any food other than Asian cuisine -American, Mexican, Italian, etc.- forks are uesd) everything! However, every night with our fruit binge, we use little forks. This has been done in every house I've lived in. It's not like it's difficult to use chopsticks with forks! Alas, this will go down as an unsolved mystery in my immersion in the Korean culture!

I have mentioned that Hyun Gi and I work out every night. I seriously elliptical, run, powerwalk, and bike for two solid hours! A few things on Korean exercise:
Koreans are way more into overall health than looking macho at the gym. In Winona, whenever I would go to the Y I would feel pressured by all the middle aged men and women around me running hard on their treadmills to do the same. Here, most people powerwalk, which I feel like in the US, especially for men, would be kind of looked down on. Yay, powerwalking! I run, too, but I seriously get a workout powerwalking here! Haha!

Also, at this gym, the treadmills all have tvs- I think I've mentioned this. Probably the most annoying thing ever is when the remotes somehow effect multiple tv monitors- one person changes their channel and inadvertently changes the channel of someone five tv's away. Then you are in a battle trying to get it back to your station and it is SOOOO annoying!

My Korean hagwan is going really well. I am finally understanding and am able to communicate in my class really well (for a BEGINNING level, that is!!). It is also really fun because everyone in my class is from a different country (Japan, China, Germany) so it's really cool when we talk about our countries and compare differences in culture, family life, and simple things like animal sounds! It was really really hard in the beginning when my teacher never used ANY English and only Korean, but now I am glad I am in a class with so many international students!

My aunt Peggy asked me about the Korean currency, Won, and it's value versus the dollar. I think they are really similar, maybe the Korean won being of slightly higher value. However, things here are either really cheap or really expensive. Things like food (restaurants, anyway. I'm not sure about the grocery stores...) and transportation (especially taxis! I can take one for around three dollars and go pretty much anywhere I need to go!) are really cheap. However, most American products, restaurants, coffee houses, COLDSTONE, and other merchandise are really expensive here, and you probably won't get as much for your money. Gas is really expensive, too. We think we have it hard (and we do) with four-dollar per gallon gas. In Korea, because they have no resources and must import, it's double. Double! Wow!

When I was at Hyun Gi's aunt's house (Eemo), her cousin asked me what the biggest difference between Korea and the US was, and I honestly didn't really know what to say. There are the obvious differences- food, language, ethnicity,etc., but this isn't really enough to be a large cultural difference. At the same time, I feel like so much is the same- I'm living my life everyday and it is so westernized over here that I could be in Korea town in LA. The more I thought about it, though, one idea did come to mind. I wrote about this briefly almost two months ago, but I think I have more perspective on it now. In Korea, men and women have very distinct roles in the household. This is completely accepted as a normal part of society, but it is something that I have had I think a unique perspective on, coming from a country where the women's movement is still a big issue. Women here are highly encouraged to become very educated, to work, to be successful. However, once they get married, their main job is "omma"- mom. Mothers here, in my experience anyway, single handedly take on all of the household chores- cooking, cleaning, laundry, these women work hard. Also, whereas in America, husbands and children definitely help with these chores, in my experience they are left pretty much entirely to the omma's to do. Men work and take great pride in their jobs and in their role as "bread winner." Hyun Gi's dad leaves by 7 or 7:30 and doesn't come home until 10, 11, 12, 1 in the morning. He works really hard, and is very successful because of it, but it seems like being away from one's family so much throughout the day is more accepted here than in America.

Also, in Korea, children don't move away from home until they get married. That means that, until they get married, they don't work (usually. Some do get part time jobs, but education is so important here that being a student is looked at as having a job), cook, do their laundry, or really take on the responsibility that American college students and young adults usually do until they get married. At first thought, I didn't think much of this practice. I thought that the kids were just mooching off their parents and having fun and didn't know anything about being responsible for one's self. I still feel this way some, but I know so many Americans who kind of do the same thing, they just don't live under the same roof. Also, Korea is a much more family-oriented and moral-conscious society. Morality is something that is accepted as being important, and living at home is one way for parents to continue to mold their children and keep them grounded and on a straight path. The more I have thought about it, the more I see that is positive about this practice. Do I want to live with my parents until I'm married? No. Most definitely not. However, there are definite bonuses to this, and it fits well with Korean culture.

Hmmmm, anything else?
Karaoke is very popular here.
We always wear shower shoes whenever we go into a bathroom in someone's house.
10 year olds have cell phones and are tromping around Seoul by themselves!
We bow a lot to anyone who is a stranger or older than us.
Squid is very popular. Especially when it's dried and drenched in butter. Squid fries!
Koreans don't like Mexican foods. Too bad....!
People dress much more conservatively- The majority of women, old and young, rarely show their shoulders or wear short shorts or low cut shirts. One thing I really don't like is when the guys here wear Capri's. I don't know, just not my personal taste!
The Korean language is really similar to Japanese. Structure wise, Chinese is almost easier for English-speakers to learn because we have the same sentence structure.

Email change

I know. I'm blogging twice in one day. Insanity. What could ever be this exciting that I would have to write twice?

I'm getting a new email account!


As of July 31st, my Winona Cotter email (grendahl@winonacotter.org) account will no longer be in use. Please send any email to either:

gsrendahl@gmail.com

OR

rendahl@stolaf.edu

I probably won't be regularly checking my St. Olaf email for a while yet, but once the school year gets underway I should.


Thank-you!! Sorry this wasn't exciting at all!!!

Lotte World!

Yesterday was a fun day here in Seoul. Hyun Gi and I met our friends Ji Young and Ji Won at Lotte World, an amusement park that is really popular here and right across the street from HG's apartment. I feel the need to spend some time on the HUGE franchise that is Lotte. Lotte is a Korean (maybe it originated in Japan, but it is hard core popular in Korea and for all practical purposes is Korean) company that is pretty much THE biggest franchise in the nation. It originated both as a confectionery producer and as a hotel chain. Now it is absolutely everything- amusement park, shopping mall, restaurant, sports complex, pretty much everything you can think of.

Anyway, we met last evening at Lotte World and spent the rest of our day there riding the roller coasters and other rides. They were pretty intense (but fun!) for me, but Ji Young (an avid thrill seeker) was quick to point out that these rides were NOTHING compared to those at Six Flags. Thanks, Ji Young! ㅋㅋㅋㅋ We didn't want to pay for overpriced (yet much cheaper than in US theme parks), poor quality food, so we brought kim bap (김밥) that HG's omma (mom) made us. 김밥 is rice, veggies, and pickled radish wrapped in seaweed. Seaweed= kim (김), and rice = bap (밥) This is a food I have grown to really like, and HG's mom makes REALLY good 김밥!! We had a lot of fun, and took more of the infamous sticker pictures! If you don't know what these are, think photo booth, only multiply the coolness factor by about 100. Cute!

Also, one really cool thing was that in the indoor portion of Lotte World, we saw the UBER popular singing group, The Wonder Girls. Think Spice girls, only Korean. I am still amazed that random celebrities pop up everywhere in Seoul!

After Lotte, we all headed over to HG's house to spend the night. We had a really nice time, eating fruit (side note: Koreans feel very strongly about eating fruit at night! Every night around ten we have a plate of watermelon, Korean melon, grapes, kiwi, any kind of fruit. This is something all Korean peoples can come together and fervently advocate!) CHIPS AND SALSA!!!, and relaxing. We watched this Korean drama that I have been following about two sisters who were separated, etc, etc.
(Another side note here on Korean tv. Koreans love their dramas, and these come in two forms: Traditional dramas that tell the stories of kings or heros or are just set in Korea's traditional history, and modern dramas, similar to soap operas. However, what is different here is that the shows only run for one season. They have one story to tell, and when they tell it, they end. Also, Koreans love comedy shows. These are not scripted comedies such as Friends, The Office, or Scrubs. These are more like reality shows but not nearly as obnoxious. They use Korean celebrities (some are on so many different programs I don't see how they can actually be actors or singers!) and put them in funny situations: Celebrities are paired up and have fake marriages- spend one day together per week. Funny! Celebrities do lots of challenges and it's just very light hearted. Much less sleazy than American reality tv. TV here is more wholesome and entertaining. However, I don't speak Korean very well, so this doesn't apply to me!)

Ji Won was really tired and went to bed right away, but HG, Ji Young, and I were up pretty late. I got really sad as I realized this would be the last time we would all be in the same room together probably forever, at least for a really really long time. Wow, that is really REALLY sad. I will see Ji Won for sure next week as we are having a Cotter dinner I think Monday, but then after that I don't know if I will see her before I leave. Ji Young is going on a family vacation to New Zealand/Australia and won't be back until the 3rd, but we made plans to meet the 4th, the day before I leave. This is all too sad. For real, I hate thinking about it.

생일/제주도 Birthday/Jeju Island

I have a lot to write about.

I'm going to start with last Thursday. Ajuma, Hyun Gi, Oppa, and I went to Ajuma's sister's house and had dinner there. I was met with some of the nicest hospitality I have ever had! From the moment I stepped through the door, I was treated with such kindness, offered many types of food, and was able to talk with her two sons who are Oppa's and Hyun Gi's ages. Eemo(Korean for Aunt) was so kind to me, paying me many compliments, offering me lots of food, and taking every measure to make sure I was comfortable. I have learned that in Korea, foreigners are much more "foreign" than in the US. In the states, we are used to seeing people of different ethnicities and cultures just by the nature of our history as a nation. Also, at Cotter, we have lots and lots of "foreigners" and are very used to learning about their cultures and hearing them speak in their native languages. Korea, however, is a place of one ethnicity, one history, one language. Those who are not of this culture are very separate. Oppa made a comment to me once that he never thought a foreigner would be living in his house, and Eemo's oldest son said the same thing to me. It is interesting that I would be such a novelty to them, ME, a girl from Minnesota! Anyway, it was a really heartwarming evening and I had a great time.

Friday:

Friday was my birthday! Yay! The big 1-8! I was able to celebrate it in a very unique way this year. I got up early so I could see Oppa and Adoshi before they left for school/work. They leave around seven or seven-thirty every morning, so I don't usually get to see them. Then, Ajuma brought my entire breakfast into my room and set it on a table. Rice, fish, kimchi, soup, several other side dishes, and cake! Then, she demonstrated a traditional Korean practice. She knelt on the floor in front of the food, bowing three times, and then praying for me and my future. I asked Hyun Gi if this was a Buddhist practice (her mom is Buddhist) or if it was just a Korean tradition, and Hyun Gi said it is just a Korean tradition for birthday's, but that many households don't do it. I felt very lucky!

We then brought the food back to the kitchen table and enjoyed. One special food is a seaweed soup. This soup is traditionally eaten by mothers after they give birth, and Koreans eat it on their birthday's to commemorate this. We had cake and sang Happy Birthday in Korean, which was really fun!

I had my class as usual in Kangnam, and then I met up with Jisu, Ji Won, Ben Lee, Andrew Choi, and Hyun Gi for lunch. HG bought another small cake that we shared (so good!!). It was really really fun to see my friends! Everyone is so busy, so getting together like this was a real treat.

After lunch, HG and I met her dad just outside his company where his DRIVER picked us up and brought us back to their house. We were in a hurry because we had to go home, back our stuff, and head off to....JEJU ISLAND! Jeju is a small island directly south of South Korea. It is still a part of SK, but is it's own island and has its own dialect of Korean. It was absolutely GORGEOUS! We arrived on Friday night after an hour-long flight to an amazingly beautiful hotel. We unpacked our things and then met Adoshi and Ajuma's friends for dinner. Adoshi and Ajuma are really into golfing, so their real reason for coming to Jeju was to golf with their friends. Dinner was good- Lots of fresh seafood (abalones, sushi, fish soups...) When you live on an island, fresh fish is always at hand! Again, the food kept coming and coming and coming! I was so torn because I was absolutely full to the limit, but I didn't want to be rude and refuse any food. Fortunately Adoshi and Ajuma excused Hyun Gi and I to leave, and we walked along the beach instead. We were nervous because apparently a huge storm was supposed to his Jeju the next day, Saturday, but that night was really beautiful. We could see the stars!

The next morning, Adoshi and Ajuma left really early, so HG and I didn't see them. We got ready, had the delicious buffet breakfast overlooking the ocean (there were American foods, too! Yay!), and then waited for our driver who Adoshi and Ajuma had hired to guide HG and I on our Jeju tour. As for rain, the morning was sunny, hot, and HUMID! So hot and humid, in fact, that we were sweating off the bat! Thankfully there was a pretty strong wind, so all was well. One of the first places our driver took us was to a movie museum. I was honestly really skeptical of this, and thought that if these were the places we were going to be going, it would be a very long day! However, the real reason behind the movie museum was the view behind it. We took many pictures of the roaring ocean and the rocky coastline and the beautiful hills. Jeju is honestly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. We spent the day hitting up all the natural wonders of Jeju- the rock formations, the waterfalls, the mountains, the nature trails, and yes, even a dolphin show! The dolphin show was kind of lame, but I think our driver just took us there to get us out of the heat. It gets really really hot in Jeju as the day progresses, and the shade was a welcome relief. The morning had been hot and sunny, but as the afternoon progressed, the dreaded rain clouds were coming in. It rained on and off for most of the afternoon, but fortunately we had seen most of the really "scenic" things already and taken most of our pictures. One thing we saw later in the day were traditional Korean houses. I thought that they would be replicas, but they were real houses that had been built over 100 years ago. Really cool!

Hyun Gi ate lunch with our driver in a restaurant he suggested, and we got to know him a little. He's a 71-year-old proud grandfather who is even prouder of his physical fitness! He flexed his "pipes" for us to demonstrate his macho physique! He was a nice guy who had lived on the island his entire life, so he had a great perspective on things to see and do.

After our tour for the day, HG and I relaxed in our room and briefly saw Adoshi and Ajuma. They had had a good day golfing, missing the rain entirely, and were off for dinner with friends. HG and I ate at the hotel restaurant, again a delicious buffet with some western foods. I was happy!

Sunday:

Sunday morning was similar to Saturday. Ajuma and Adoshi left before we were up to golf. HG and I had the breakfast buffet, then met our driver outside. Sunday was a little cloudier, and we feared rain. Thankfully, it cleared up and we were able to tour. (We seriously had the best luck ever! It was supposed to storm really badly, and in Seoul, it was absolutely torrential downpour all weekend!) We stopped a few places, but our biggest stop was a small mountain created by volcanic activity thousands of years ago. This thing was an absolute beast to climb. Hyun Gi and I were both sweating profusely by the time we got to the top, but the view was amazing. We could see a huge creater beneath us that was created by the volcano, then gaze at the horizon and see the ocean all around us. The water here is a beautiful light blue color that is very clean and fresh. We stayed at the top of the mountain for about a half hour and then took the lengthy trek back down. Our legs were aching and we really wanted to rest, but we had over an hour before we would leave to meet Ajuma and Adoshi for lunch at the country club, so we hiked over to another daunting set of stairs heading downward towards the sea. I got really excited because these stairs let us to the actual OCEAN! The entire trip I felt I was missing some experience because I had really wanted to go swimming in the water. I learned quickly, however, that this was not a sandy, luxurious beach where tourists come and tan themselves. Instead, it is a beach of rocks and fishing boats and cold water and hard work. I was still excited nonetheless to take off my shoes and wade in the cold, amazing, BEAUTIFUL water! I was so happy!! After a while, we mustered the energy to hike back UP the stairs. I can't even explain how tired I was by this time. I was so thankful we didn't have any more stops to make and that we could just enjoy a nice lunch before heading to the airport.

Lunch was very tasty, and the airport was crowded and noisy and not fun. I was tired and ready to be home. We boarded our plane around five, but it was delayed due to a technical inspection. When we landed in Seoul it was maybe around six thirty, and raining harder than I have seen it rain anywhere in a while. Oppa picked us up and we drove to a very nice Chinese dinner. I was really hungry by this time- the hiking really tired me out! It was very tasty, and we all came home, unpacked, and relaxed!

Today:

I had class, and then Hyun Gi and I met a girl from Cotter, Chris Choi. We had a kimchi soup with noodles and then hit up.... Coldstone! So good!

Wow, really long blog! I'm sick of writing! Great birthday, amazing trip, wonderful friends!

MFG- More from Gillian (for you,Mom!)

Just a few randoms from me tonight.. I'm about to get up and head to Hyun Gi's aunt's house for dinner! I'm excited! I just sent some of my few remaining post cards and got back from another stint at the gym. Today I watched a really cool documentary about a climbing team climbing Everest, a world-record holding 71 year old Japanese man a part of the team. Since I read the book, Into Thin Air, (which I would highly recommend!) I have been really interested in learning more about climbing and seeing first hand experiences. Really cool!

After my class Hyun Gi and I met one of her old middle school teachers. They talked for a while and while they did, I noticed the teacher saying the word "mi-guk" (America), spreading her arms wide, and then saying in Korean, "but she's pretty." In Korea, I have finally realized that at almost every place I go, whenever I meet new people, my physical appearance is critiqued. Fortunately for me it's been positive so far- my height, my weight, my looks, my hair texture! However, I just kind of realized that in America, even if someone is really pretty, we usually don't outright say it to their face the first time we meet them. Not bad, not good, just how it is. So, back to my story. I asked Hyun Gi later why she spread her arms (although I already had a pretty good idea!) when she talked about Americans. Hyun Gi laughed and told me that her teacher (and I think many other Koreans) thought that Americans were all overweight, and that her teacher was surprised that I wasn't and that I was "pretty." This honestly offended me a little, but I am realizing that every country, every culture has their own stereotypes of others. We don't mean them to be harmful or even anything to really take seriously. But they are there and I will definitely try to be more aware of it as I return to the States.

Ahh, I need to change and get going.

For you a thousand times over

The title of my post is the haunting refrain that runs through the novel, The Kite Runner. While in Korea, I've been able to do some serious reading- I think this book marks my sixth book! Thus far, my reading list includes:
The Thirteenth Tale
Grapes of Wrath
Rant
Into Thin Air
The Scarlet Letter
Lord of the Flies
The Kite Runner

Just kidding. Seventh! One really good thing about being here is that TV isn't really that brain-washing. At home, I'm ashamed to admit it, but when I don't have anything to do I just tend to veg in front of the tv for way too much time. I definitely don't read enough. Here, with tv losing its appeal due to the language barrier, I find myself reading books all the time! It's really relaxing!! The Kite Runner was a really REALLY good book! My mom actually recommended that I read it last summer, but I was in kind of a reading motivation-drought, so I just brushed off her recommendation. I started it yesterday and finished today on the exercise bike! I would highly recommend it! Before I started the book, I was reading some of the reviews on the cover,and one critic commented that the book was "surprising." I didn't think anything of it until, time after time, I was completely oblivious to the many plot twists and turns. Really impressive! I'm planning on buying his second book for my plane ride home.

Life with Hyun Gi is much more relaxing than my time with Ji Young due to the fact I don't have to work. I ended up telling my boss that it was too much to have to come in to Mok Dong, even just two days a week. I'm happy with my decision. It would have ended up being a waste of my time in the end.... Every morning I walk through the Lotte World Mall (Seriously, shopping mall/theme park/ice rink!), take the green line (subway) and head to Kang-nam for class. My commute is much shorter, which is really nice! I'm able to take more time in the mornings and have a relaxing breakfast. At both Ji Young's house and Hyun Gi's, we eat Korean foods for breakfast - rice, kimchi, meat, veggies, spicy soup, very different than American breakfast foods. This is fine with me, but I find it really hard to just sit down and wolf down an entire bowl of rice and some soup! Having extra time is much appreciated!

After class, I come home, do my homework, read for an hour or two, and then head off to the fitness center in Hyun Gi's apartment complex. Seriously the nicest gym I have ever been in! The treadmills have individual tvs, and today, I was able to plug in my headphones and watch The Office (FAVORITE SHOW EVER!!) and 30 Rock (Is that the name? Tina Fey... not sure...). So much more enjoyable than the Y!
Then we get home around eight or nine, shower, have a nice dinner, relax, eat fruit, and then I usually help Oppa with his English pronunciation! Obviously, the sched. varies from day to day, but the relaxed environment is a constant throughout.

Wow, this was a way longer blog than anticipated! I'm calling it quits for the night!
-Peace-

Fun with Hyun Gi!

I made it to Hyun Gi's house and all is well! Their house is so pretty, many windows and natural light, and they have a great location- right next to Lotte World, A big mall/theme park in Seoul. AND they are right on the subway line, which is good for me! Her parents are so so so so kind, and I feel right at home here! Her brother (he will be called "oppa"- Korean term for older brother...) is really cool! He's about twenty-four (Koreans usually live at home until they are married..) and just got back from the mandatory two year stint in the Korean army that is required of all men, so he still has two years left in college. He is majoring in Golf business and is learning English, so I am the informal tutor around here! I feel really bad though, because I have his room and he is sleeping on the floor of the office.....

Last night I was able to go to dinner with good friends of Ajuma and Adoshi's. We ate at a traditional Korean restaurant, and the experience was definitely unique! I tasted many foods I have never had before (an entire abalone being one!) and what surprised me most was how the food seriously kept coming and coming! It was one of my more challenging meals, but that's what makes life interesting, right?! Very good food, very high quality, and very well done!

In a little while I'm going to go with Hyun Gi to her daily tennis lesson. She actually goes with another boy from Cotter, Ben Lee (I met him at the green tea cafe with Ji Young...). I'm not playing, just watching! Then I think we're going to hit up the gym! 공부하다!!!

One other cool thing I should mention:
While my Korean is really bad, I have noticed major improvement in my comprehension! I usually at least kind of understand what is being said, at least when the questions or conversation is directed at me! Cool!

So hard to say goodbye...

Probably the best and worst thing I did in planning my trip to Seoul was stay with three different people who live in three completely different areas of Seoul. What I really mean is that it WAS the best thing I did, but it's just so hard when I have to leave! I move to Hyun Gi's house tomorrow, which will be so fun! Her parents are really into hiking, so I'm hoping to go with them soon! Hyun Gi is one of the sweetest people I know, so it will just be smooth sailing the whole way.

HOWEVER, I think I am a little extra sad because of a few things:

I just finished work.

I really like Ji Young's fam.

I LOVE Ji Young.

I realized that the next time I pack my suitcase it will be to come home.

Wow. It is really just hitting me how much I love being in this city. I can't even imagine spending my summer any other way, and it seems really strange that I will have to go back! But, I still have a considerable amount of time left, so I really shouldn't jump too far ahead of myself...

Today Ji Young and I visited one of several palaces in Seoul, this one being entitled, Deok Su Gung Palace. It was really awesome that in a city of ten million, I could step inside the gates of an ancient palace and watch history unfold before my eyes! One thing that struck me about the palace was it's interior simplicity. While each of the many buildings were very ornately decorated, they were very simple on the inside. Much different from the ornate palaces of European countries.

Next we hit up a huge book store, which is always fun! (Yay, books!)

Lunch was waffles with ice cream (Haagen Daz vanilla and green tea), fruit, and whipped cream. So good!

Later the whole fam went out to the "Mad for Garlic" restaurant. So good! As you might guess, each of the dishes are very garlic-centered. One of our dishes, a spaghetti/tomato sauce dish, was absolutely incredible. Not only was I stoked about TOMATO SAUCE (my first taste since arriving in Seoul!), but it was spicy. Not kind of sort of notice it spicy, but SPICY! At home, when I make pretty much anything I dump a ton of Cayenne pepper into it before eating. The dish I had tonight did not disappoint!

Following dinner, our plan was to ride a ferry down the Han river and then go to the Seoul Tower (think Eiffel Tower) observatory, but it was getting late and we decided to skip the ferry and hit up the tower. By the time we get to the Seoul tower, the weather has taken a turn for the worse. Literally every weekend I have been at Ji Young's house it has been really rainy, which is a bummer. By the time we made it to the observatory, it was really really foggy, so foggy we had trouble seeing anything outside our window! Fortunately, the wind picked up enough to allow us a glimpse of lovely Seoul every once in a while.

Ahhh, here ends my time with the Won family. A good three weeks, for sure!

:(

Ashley and I. Kee Hoon, me, and Tae.

The day has come. I am no longer a TA at Elite SAT prep in MokDong, Korea. Today was just really weird. I had to set up the class that I take care of and make sure Tae, one of the other ta's, knew where the copies were etc. Shil Jong Nim kept saying she wanted me to stay, and proposed more and more plans to get me over to mokdong a few times a week. One offer I am actually considering.. She would like me to tutor on Tuesdays/Thursdays for a few hours in late afternoon/early evening. This would mean I would probably miss dinner, but it's only two nights a week, so I'm not sure... Stay tuned!

Also, halfway through the day, around three, Shil Jong Nim came in the room I was working and gave me five chapter books and told me to work on them. FIVE! I was under the impression she wanted me to do ALL of them before I left, along with tutoring a student for an hour and a half. I was in freak out mode, as that would have meant I would have been there until ten! However, later she emphatically told me I could go, and even shed a fake tear in honor of my departure! I honestly didn't really know she liked me that much until yesterday/today! Sad...

It was also really weird saying goodbye to my TA friends... Sad. I really like them! But, I may be seeing more of them soon!

In other news, as one might assume, just by the nature of being a foreigner I have attracted some attention and many excited "hi!"'s in my day, but tonight I had a rather unnerving experience. I didn't get home until about nine, and it was pretty dark out by this time. As I was approaching my apartment complex, this young guy behind me said, "excuse me, excuse me", causing me to turn around and stop. Now, I'm not stupid, and I have listened enough to my parent's lectures to know that this was weird and really inappropriate of the guy, so as he struggled to speak, I didn't indulge him at all by trying to help him.

In extremely broken English, this guy told me that he was a college student learning English. He went on to say (or try to say.. I'm kind of interpreting meaning from his broken sentences..) that he noticed me walking in the mornings and that I was coming out of the apartment next to his. Then, he says he would like to have an AMERICAN FRIEND! At this point I was more than wanting to get out of there, not that I was really scared or anything, but just how inappropriate was this guy? I immediately told him that I was moving tomorrow and then made my departure. What kind of guy approaches a young girl at night and starts talking to her? Well, a few kinds, but this guy was seriously stupid. Wow.

Dad/Mom- don't worry. I seriously don't think he's a creepy stalker. Just a seriously socially unaware individual.

Is this picture random? Yes! But, I just wanted to show the inside of a Korean refrigerator. No cheese. No tomato sauce. No salsa. No yogurt. Straight up veggies, fruit, and KIMCHI!

Misc.

I'm taking the opportunity to have a random blog post tonight. Bear with me!

The weather in Seoul has recently gotten REALLY humid and REALLY hot. Always a bad combo. However, I am used to being able to walk around in the summer in athletic shorts, tank tops, bare feet, and hair in a ponytail. Here, everyone always looks fashionable, or half-way decent at the very least, meaning my wardrobe is vastly different from that at home. Also, I have my newest most awful experience thus far in Seoul. Wednesday morning, I had to take the thirty-five minute long subway ride to Kang-Nam, where I go to school. This particular morning, it was absolutely BOILING and on the subway I was standing next to hot, sweaty, smelly men and was standing the entire time and sweating like none other. The worst possible way to start the morning; hot, sweaty, surrounded by people, and on a subway.

Speaking of school, last week marked the end of my time at Level 1 a and am now at Level 1 b, meaning I have a few new people in my class. Two of these people are two German boys, one about ten and one maybe my age. I think they might be at least part Korean, but I'm not sure. All I know is that the ten year old is absolutely the most annoying child I have ever met in my life. He and his "friend" speak German to each other whenever they want, and "Min" is constantly throwing paper or rubber erasers at "Edgar" (older guy). Today, he hit one of the other students in the head. I sit right next to Min, and he is always just making smart alec remarks and one of these days (maybe tomorrow...) I might smack him on the head. Well, probably not that, but I've definitely shot him some pretty menacing looks over the past few days...

In work news, tomorrow is my last day! I'm actually really sad about it! A funny thing happened today. Shil Jong Nim, my boss (not her name, her title. In Korea you refer to teacher as ,"Teacher", to your boss as "Shil Jong Nim". Title, not name.) asked if she could speak with me. I was kind of freaked out because, although she's really nice to me, I always feel like I'm on the verge of doing something wrong. However, I was surprised when she asked me to continue working! She even went as far as to invite me to live with her, if that was the issue. Multiple times! I actually would like to keep working, and if I was here by myself I definitely would, but I decided that I am in Korea not just for my own benefits, but to allow my friends the chance to show me how they live. Working longer would be selfish, so I can't. I'm kind of bummed, though...

After work tonight, the TA's I work with, Kee-Hoon and Tae, Ji Young, myself, and three girls who attend the hagwan we work at all went out to dinner together. Really tasty! Started out with dumplings (Basically ground sausage and onion wrapped in thin dough. I LOVE this!) followed by noodles in a spicy, almost creamy tasting soup. REALLY GOOD! Then we hit up 노래방, karaoke. Really fun!

Also, yesterday, Ji Young and I met her friend, Hee Ra, and went to a really tall sky scraper (I feel lame, I can't remember the name...!) to go to the top floor and look out on Seoul through the observatory. Unfortunately, that level was under construction, so we had to go to a restaurant a few floors below and look out the windows there. It was seriously the most expensive restaurant I have ever been (not saying much as Taco Bell is my most frequent stop..!). A CHEESE platter cost 45,000 won, or about 45 dollars! We each got a small glass of juice, and the tab came to 31,000 won, or about 30 dollars! Crazy! The view was absolutely gorgeous, though, so no complaints!

머리

Oh, the simple things

Today was Sunday, and I have to say that the highlight for me was definitely going to church! Ji Young's family is Catholic, so I was able to go to my first Catholic Mass in one month. It was honestly really refreshing to be finally back at something that is SEMI-familiar (please remember it was in Korean!) to me. Even though I don't understand the readings and the sermon, it feels good to be close to God in a setting I have experience in!

A few points of interest regarding Korean Catholics-
This I found a little uncomfortable- Almost all the women wear a cloth on their heads, like in pre-Vatican II times. Ji Young doesn't, and when I asked her about it, she says her mom wants her to, but she doesn't because she feels like it's a symbol to put women down, make them not equal to men. I don't know if that is true or not, but I definitely felt a little uncomfortable seeing this traditional practice in use.

Also, no kneeling, but a lot more standing.


Hmmm, today, I also got my haircut. I thought I was just getting a trim, but it's WAY more Asian than that! ㄱㄱㄱㄱ Stay tuned for picture posts in the future.... I think I like it?

For dinner had bulgogi, basically marinated beef cooked on a grill with onions and garlic. SO GOOD! Definitely in my top three of Korean food experiences! I've had this before, but Ajuma just seems to have a way with the beef...!

Sunday. 1:33 am

A few note-worthy things to mention:

On Friday, I was able to leave work early so I could go to a dinner to celebrate Ji Young's Harmonie's (Grandma's) birthday. This was nice! Work had been slow- all I'd really done was correct vocab tests and read a book about Thomas Jefferson, only after which did I realize it was the fourth of July (as you might guess, it's not too big of a holiday here in Korea!). Fun fact: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were BFF's and even died on the same day... July 4th!

Anyway, on the way to the restaurant, Ji Young, Ajuma, and I took the subway and stood next to two Korean girls who were loudly speaking Chinese. They saw Ji Young and I looking at them, and they promptly turned their attention to me. Apparently their mom (who was with them) encourages them to use English and speak with random foreigners, but they ran into a dilemma as they seemed to think I was Russian. Random, but funny!

For Harmonie's dinner we ate at a duck barbecue restaurant, and it was really good! Adoshi told me that duck is a very healthy meat and is eaten usually in accordance with special occasions. I was able to meet a lot of Ji Young's family and use my Korean to win them over (!!). After dinner we went to Ji Young's uncle's house (a real house- a pretty rare occurrence in the Seoul. We were in a more rural part, just outside the city.) and had fruit and talked. Her family was SO kind to me and made me feel so welcome!

Today/Yesterday (Saturday) was really rainy and blah.. Ji Young and I went shopping this afternoon, and walking from the subway station to the shopping malls was probably my least favorite experience thus far. Walking in thick, heavy humidity, rain, through narrow walkways, bumping into person after person, getting umbrella's caught in canopies and inside other umbrellas= NOT COOL!

Tonight we saw a late movie, Wanted. It was really really good! Seriously the most action packed, heart racing, plot twisting movie I have seen in a long time. Dad- if it's still out in the states you should watch it. It's a good movie for you to get out of the humidity with!

Month-versay!

It is my one month anniversary of my arrival in Seoul! Time seriously flies! I can't believe its been a month already.

HUGELY FANTASTIC NEWS!
Okay, so at work today, all the teachers were talking about how they were going to have dinner together at this really good Mexican restaurant.
I have not had guacamole OFF the brain for the past two weeks. I was getting so desperate for Mexican food I can't even express the low levels I stooped to. Then, when I got home, Ji Young told me that she, Adoshi, and I were going to a MEXICAN res truant for dinner! 감삽니다!!
Absolutely fantastically unbelievably amazing! Ohh, a burrito with rice and veggies and guacamole and chips and SALSA! Ohhh, sooooo good!!!!!!


Then, after dinner, Ji Young, Ajuma, and myself watched a really scary movie called "Return". It's about people who undergo anesthesia and are still fully aware of the surgery going on, meaning they can feel but not move. Basically, this movie (Korean but with English subtitles) was about how a boy was subjected to this and then for the rest of his life was EXTREMELY messed up. Really good but really really disturbing. Mom, it made me think of you because of the presentation you gave that you practiced in front of me..!

Now I am going to do a LOT of homework. My teacher decided to give us FIVE pages of homework. This will take me multiple hours. :(

Also, my friend Kate is leaving tomorrow. I didn't get another chance to see her while she's been in Korea, which I am kind of sad about, but I'm sure she has lots of amazing stories to share with everyone back home!

Yang-Yan: Seaside city at its finest

It's Sunday night here in Seoul, and the Won family and I returned from a weekend excursion to Yang-Yan, a north-east coastal town about four hours outside of Seoul. While there, some pretty AWEsome and unique experiences were had.

Yang-Yan is surrounded by the BEAUTIFUL mountains of Korea, and before settling to our final destination, we took the opportunity to travel up one and experience it first hand. Unfortunately, the name of this particular mountain is escaping my memory, but all I can say is it was absolutely breathtaking. I have found that the mountains of Korea are in a league of their own. They inspire in me a sense of child-like wonder. Oftentimes shrouded in a thick fog, they are mysterious, alluding, and utterly majestic. I must say that being atop these great landmarks has been a true highlight of my time in Korea thus far, and has been very calming to my spirit.

This particular mountain offered a cable-car ride up to its summit, which we excitedly took, enjoying the spectacular view. When at the top, we were able to literally climb where we pleased, and the view was both exhilarating and terrifying! I would be literally steps away from an abyss that seemed never-ending. The air on the mountains is so fresh and rejuvenating, especially after being in a city of ten million, that I was sad as we made our ascent down via cable car. We next were able to visit a Buddhist temple, similar to others I have seen but also very calming and reflective.

We move on from the mountains into Yang-Yan, the site of the Won family's condo. The condo (more like a hotel) is very VERY beautiful and looks out on the ocean. (The East Sea- otherwise referred to as the Japan sea, but Koreans are very adamant that it should be East Sea.)

Dinner. We drive into the town a ways and come to a small, unassuming restaurant with big, clear holding tanks outside its front. This is a sea village, thus, seafood rules. What am I kind of afraid of? Sea food. What are we having? King crab.

When it was served, I was seriously afraid. I was given the crab's actual legs and other joints to scrape the meat out and eat. Very very scary for me, as I have never had crab and never envisioned myself having it. Actually, while very much out of my comfort zone, the meat itself tasted much less "fishy" than I anticipated and was pretty tasty. Once the crabs were devoured, we were served rice with some sort of crab meat served....Get this- inside the crab's head! I wish I had a picture!

Also this weekend, I was able to meet Ji Young's older brother, back for a weekend break from the military. In Korea, all males are required to serve in the military for two years, usually during their college years. It was really great to meet him, and I am only sorry I will not be able to see him again.

Ahhh, back to the daily grind that is Monday.

(Prayer tile we made at the Buddhist temple in Yang-Yan)

신발 샀습니다!!!!

Today I made my first cool Korean purchase. Super stoked! Yay!

Wow, I really REALLY love Seoul!

Out and About

My time thus far at Ji Young's has been full of motion and energy! We are at the house pretty much only to sleep, between school, work, and night fun! Monday we met up with Amy, Ben, and Andrew, kids from Cotter, at a green-tea restaurant for....tea! Really fun! Then yesterday, Ji Young and I went on a massive walk along the

Han River, a huge river that literally divides Seoul in half. Ji Young's house is really near by, so we had a lot of fun just walking and seeing the beautiful skyline. Tonight we were able to meet Eun Chun and Kate, a friend from Cotter who is in Korea for about ten days. Really fun! I was late coming off of work (as always.... I am always there until at LEAST seven-thirty) and were REALLY late in meeting Kate and Eun Chun because we took a bus. For dinner we had two soups: One really spicy and one not spicy (Or so we thought.... Kate seemed to think otherwise! She is really sensitive to spicy foods.....) with chicken and vegetables and noodles. SOOO good! And, the best part of all was we went for COLD STONE! I walk by a Cold stone every day in Kang-Nam and every day it tempts me more and more! SOOO good! However, portions are definitely smaller in Korea.

Anyway, to sum up the last few days, FUN!

Also, work is really good, too. The work itself is pretty boring, but Tae and Kee Hoon, the other TAs I work with, are really really nice. Also I'm getting to be kind of friends with some of the high school SAT kids, too. One kid had even heard of Cotter because of how many Koreans go to school there! Small world!

Haha! Ji Young evil-eyeing the camera at Coldstone! Yay, Kate!!! So happy you are here!!!