Saturday, August 22, 2009

The Place for Superstars

Orientation:

Last night review: Korean class -> local bar + kiwi and strawberry soju + lady gaga = norebang ->1AM curfew!


our friend T with a huge pitcher of beer











V and our new friends from Bellevue: L and M













V and L singing to Taylor Swift! Nice nametag L!

Woke up too early today - at least I thought it was early. Too much kiwi soju?! Stumbled into the elevator, jammin' to my ipod - didn't run into anyone. Yesssss, I might actually be alone for once! Approach the dining hall and hear voices (through my earplugs). Lots of voices. Hmm, I guess I wasn't the only one with an early breakfast in mind - oh well might as well get a jump on the day with like 200 other people. Better 200 than 500 yah? Sip my coffee and hang out with the mellow breakfast crowd.

The rest of the day was : lecture, lecture, lecture and silly videos with tall, blonde, claymation characters. I may end today with a relaxing epersode of GG and hazelnut pocky sticks.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

And then they looked at me and were upset...


When's the last time Korean women took bites of your food to show you how to eat it? Mine was Sunday. Words were inaffective so visual aids came into play. Whole chicken, rice filling, bone bucket, salt dust. I think I managed not to upset them but it's hard to say.

The way our interactions went in Seoul: I say something in English to a Korean . They furrow their brow, turn to N, and speak Korean. N looks at me, furrows her brow, and tells the fellow that she doesn't speak Korean. I forget what happens then, but it involves a lot of humidity.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Kimchi and Chicken



What we've eaten since landing :
-delicious kimchi dumplings
-bulgogi and kimchi jigae
-seafood risotto
-bacon and spaghetti
-a whole chicken in soup
-more kimchi jigae
-tuna salad
-cold and spicy noodles
-more delicious dumplings the size of a fist
-street food: seafood pancake and pineapple on a stick
-a crepe ball

Since we've gotten here we have spent most of our time deciding what we want to eat, where we want to eat and when we want to eat.

The excess in eating is countered by us sweating in the subway, on the street, in palaces, while we eat, while we sleep, and especially when we drag our luggage around the city of seoul trying to find the airport limousine shuttle. The humidity here is so extreme that Koreans put air conditioning in porta-potties.

Our extreme change in environments in both culture and weather is kind of like a super strong concentration, luckily we have found a diluter....Gossip Girl! Yes, it the perfect nightcap for our adventures and excursions. We retire to our hotel room, sip sochu, and watch another mind numbing episode of the wealthy upper eastsiders. Does V like it more than me? That's a secret I'll never tell.