SEOUL!

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Flu sucks, but I love Korea

I'm struck with 24 hr flu. I coughed my lungs out and vomited till morning. Pretty sight. It's a minor fluke in my Korea trip. I have a fever. Luckily were all stocked up on tylenol. Aside from that speed bump I'm in love with South Korea!!

I finally understood how much Koreans enjoyed staying warm, even the floors are heated and yes we sleep on the ground. I think that didn't help with my 24 hr flu., but Lisa's pudgy shitzu 'Choco' cuddled up next to me. I feel so loved!!!

Prior to breakfast I was reminded to greet her parents the Korean way (with a bow and a hello)
Lisa's mom smiled and went back to her cooking. "Welcome to Korea"
I was so esctatic by the site of breakfast. A true American homemade breakfast. Lisa's mom is obsessed with aprese salad lately. Real orange juice, toast, bacon, yogurt and salsa (bought at the base) was so lovely to see. Delight in my mouth.

"You want toast?" DO I????? YES PLEASE. I was overjoyed by the faint remainder of home.







After breakfast foods I played with Choco. Her puppy loves being the center of attention.



It was pretty much a lazy and relaxing day in Daegu. In the evening we went around downtown, which is five minutes from Lisa's apartment (at Central palace). Here's what I saw.









Christmas Time at Baskin Robbins. Eating Christmas cake has become a new tradition in Korea, plus (according to Lisa) Baskin Robbins always invites the 'hottest new girl pop band' to advertise their Christmas cakes. Look at these hotties.



Next in line is the amount of lingerie shops (on one street) and the displays they had. quite a site. Plus I don't think I could linger up the courage to enter a Korean lingerie shop since it's quite doubtful that they have stuff in 'godzilla' size.






Lisa mentioned we should watch a movie when we get back home. And I saw all these "DVD" signs all over the pedestrian mall. So, I assumed that it was a DVD shop. I was wrong. Lisa was confused when I kept saying, "let's go into a DVD shop."

"What? Oh, that's a DVD "PONG".

"what? DVD PONG? it's not a shop?"

I have now discovered that it's a DVD viewing room. You get your own private room where you can watch a DVD with some friends, or your girlfriend. In short, this is where a lot of Korean couples 'get it on.' (As Lisa emphasized). Since most couples live with their parents, and parents are pretty opposed to passion and expression in their houses, couples are forced to go to desperate measures. Cheaper than a hotel room, you get it on in a DVD bar.

[Don't get confused]


Why are you harassing Winnie the Pooh?



I've never seen so many makeup shops on a street before. Then again I'm in KOrea where women take fashion seriously. 24/7. Lisa dragged me into one of the many make up shops and did my nails. I've never had that happen. I thin its because I demonized makeup and associated it with the superficiality of young women.


Dunkin Donuts, another popular place to hang out in Korea is also selling Christmas cakes. Free hate with every purchase.




McDelivery. If McDelivery existed in the States, it would cause such a havoc and be the end of the universe. I'd like to point out the Mcbikes in Seoul are much better than the electric pedal bikes in China. First of all it's because these looks sleeker and cleaner.

Try and read that.




I can't forget about the street food. Korean street food is delicous. How I enjoy the rice cakes and hot sauce that burn my tongue.

Beijing Airport - Incheon Airport

Actual water fountains. This is what I love about South Korea

My cab ride to the airport was a riot. My cab driver as a riot. fat, shabby blue suit jacket or a grey turtle neck hunched over the steering wheel with tiny oranges on his dashboard. He pops them in his mouth and then throws the seeds out onto the high way. As we approached the airport he turns around with several oranges lodged in his cheek and asked, "T2 or T3 (terminal)??" What a site.



Yellow fever is a craze here. It's always foreign guy and Asian woman. Why????




Again, this is what I love about China. Poor vocabulary even at an international airport. Remember the propaganda of airport security and blue skies to poor mothers.

The moment I stepped off the plane I was in love with the country of South Korea.
The flight was quick too. Also the view from Beijing at night was incredible. The first thing that popped into my mind was "Is this Mordor???! (LOTR scary theme music plays)


Got into Incheon International and I was elated of the true cleanliness of the place (esp the restrooms), the manners and lack o shouting. It was so wonderful to have Lisa pick me up at the airport.









"You're here!!" she said constantly. "I'm so glad you're here!" So as I. We took a shuttle bs to Taegu. Her current hometown 4 hrs away from Seoul. I found upon my first two hours in South Korea that 1) Koreas enjoy staying warm, the bus was so stuffy! 2) women enjoy eye surgery and nose lifts 3) Lisa's mom's a sweetheart!!! She made a little something for the trip back. AHHH Kimbap!!! Why did I eat on the plane??!!!

Packing and heading out

Everyone is scramming to check out of Shaoyuan and head for the capital airport, Sarah here is sitting on her suitcase trying to get the damn lid shut before her flight.

I frantically (also) finished packing everything for Seou, exchanged good byes to everyone that I managed to see. 'Dre mentioned, "come to Hong Kong, it would be a crime not to come." I will definitely try.

Here we go. I'm heading to Seoul!!!

The crazy habitual club man

Sanlitun is known as the bar district for many ex-pats who flock there for a decent drink. Somehow I landed in a bar called Bar Blue. Most pretentious lounge bar I have entered in. Serves me right since I went with Zac and a bunch of Asian Europeans. One was from France. Hence a tinge of arrogance. I was surrounded by older Europeans and all things foreigner in this dark bar, with slow euro trance beating in the air. Escape!!!! To Salsa Caribe!!


Jian and Cathy finally arrived and we all tore up the dance floor during hip hop breaks. sudnely a man in a bill cosby sweater started dancing on the stage. it can't be. It's the crazy Indian man we see at every club!!!!!!! First at China Doll, then at the college hang out 'Propaganda' and now Salsa caribe??!! Good lord why do you flail your arms at every club? It's not bollywood (i'm serious he dances bollywood style at every club)

CIEE Farewell Banquet

CIEE had their farewell banquet. our teachers were invited but only few showed. Our Hanzi tacher gave a short speech about how proud he was o his CIEE students. We cheered him on. The banquet was awkward. Period. The head of the Chinese dept and Tian laoshi spoke. Entire room was silent. we never see them and Tian Laoshi forgot Sky's Chinese name.
"We will have our favorite student Ma Long (马龙）deliver a farewell speech" You meant Bai Long 白龙 " Assuring. Sky's speech was great though, it was funny and honest.
"I would like to give props to our maids who work hard 7 days a week and clean our rooms, I want to apologize to the maids who walk in and clean while I sing and dance to our beloved Michael Jackson."









Later that evening we finally fullfilled on eating 小茏包 at Sky's favorite hole in the wall on Chengfu road. Jian was lazy but Sky begged her along with Estee. We were in the midst of "When Harry met Sally". Initially dumplings was to be an eating competition. But we just ate and took our time We did eat a lot. A tower basically

Last Day

TADASHI!! YOUR LATE AGAIN!!!



I tend to stare at my feet during class. Then again I love my shoes so I'm showing my chucks that I do love them.



"Good to have you back" my teacher said. I actually made it to my final kouyu class today. I felt bad and made that clear with her. didn't mind at all. Jihoon showed up busting in an hour and 15 minutes late. Stuck in 3 hr traffic because he as 15 minutes for the 6:30 bus. That sucks even more since he lives so far away in the embassy district.

Karaoke Party anyone?

Lisa and Matt have a mutual friend by the name of Bei. Bei is from South Korea and by far one of the of many unique individuals I have met.
To give a little background on the guy he is from South Korea, an army kid, studies abroad in Japan, speaks fluent Korean and Japanese, currently studying abroad in China and the most peculiar thing is Bei learned English from American Italian mafia films. Yes mafia films. His English accent has a hint of an Italian American gangster with a combination of polite literal Japanese-English grammar. Plus he enjoys wrestling with Matt and enjoys making it sound awkward. It's worse when you don't know them and the context. Especially when you hear it during breaks.
"I like it when your on top matt, i really like what you do to me when your on top of me."

Matt: Bei, please...this is really awkward!!!

[Imagine this in a mafia accento]

Did I know Bei could sing with a voice of pure beauty? This guy is full of surprises. He shocked everyone. We clamored and fell in live. Jill mentioned,
"Bei and Lisa should marry and have opera singing children and form a singing family like the Von Traps only Korean"

Sky dazzled us with his Michael Jackson moves and songs.

It was made clear to me of Matt's intense bro love for Bei.

Trips to NLGX

(NLGX is located near the bell tower. This is what i saw at sunset)

We proceeded to NLGX from Xidan where we met up with Jess, Lisa and Zhao Laoshi. Steph was right. This old Hutong lane was filled with all sorts of cute artsy shops. My 100 RMB notes flew out the window . I bought several Obamao shirts, cute Chinese strung notebooks, cute pencil bags an d the list goes on. In one store and adorable little girl had some xmas reindeer antlers that had many tiny jingle bells on the ends. She was a bundle of cuteness. She wanted her mom to join in on the fun, but her her mom has no sense of fun and refused to be embarrassed."NO NO I'm not a kid!! Don't put those on me!" Play with your children lady. Have a little fun. Yeah who am I to say your not a loving parent. But I love little children so I teased the kid and said, "you wanna put those on my head?" I asked. She slowly wobbled her away and tried to put the antlers on my head. I fell in love with antlers.
"Okay those antlers, how much?" 20RMB. Hmmm, 15 RMB since the berries on the left holly branch is missing. yes that's right.

Lisa fell instantly in love with the vintage stores. After eating so called "Korean fusion" at the Coree bistro (yes it's in French) [what fusion? ] the vintage store "bye bye disco" was closed. THOSE LIARS! You said you closed at 10! It's 8!!

"NOOOO" she protested. Tomorrow were coming again. Lisa is leaving in three days. It's worth it.





The very next day we trekked back to NLGX in the freezing cold to find more spoils. Lisa found many cool items including a vintage track suit jacket and these big bloomer pants. I found a baby snatching bag. Instant love.


I heard this awful belching noise while we were heading to the bus. I realized it was coming from two geese. It sounded terrible. And then you realize, "why are there geese roaming around?"