Weekend Update No.2

The week has seemed less busy but that was mainly because of finals. So...another short list of activities.

- FINALS ARE OVER!!! Now lets just hope I passed.

- I finally got around to seeing Harry Potter. I quite enjoyed the movie and thought it was one of the better ones made, exciting and generally fast paced. Although, my opinion might have been swayed by my general lack of recollection for events in the 5th book. I think if I knew what they skipped over I might generally be more annoyed with the movie. But as it stands I couldn't even remember Hagrid had a giant he was hiding....um...maybe I need to re-read some books before starting the 7th. I can't believe the series is over.

- Met up with some people from the Come Together group to have dinner and coffee. It is generally nice to know that a community exists and I am beginning to become better friends with them.

- Probably most important for the week was getting the visa information figured out. Too bad it is a little to late to buy a plane ticket to Taiwan. :(. It does give me a chance to travel around Korea.

Later today I am going to meet with Kana and Chikae to figure out our 10 day adventure traveling around Korea. I am excited for the trip and I think it includes visiting Chikae's great grandfater's historical house (he was a famous writer in Korea) and the Busan Sea Festival. I am constantly amazed at how many various Festivals Korea has, it seems like there is a new one ever week.

Speaking of Festivals, I need to talk about the last one I visited which was the mud festival. Overall it was an amazing time. The weather was near perfect for the beach, hot and sunny. It was so funny because the mud was something that you pretty much painted on yourself as sun screen. For some reason I had the conception that there were mud flats or something. Still, we followed suit and soon were covered head-to-toe in painted on mud. The mud slide was amazing fun, but the excess sand made it painful to go down, in that you-laugh-the-whole-way pain. There were also various other mud activities including mud wrestling, mud prison (where the concept is you can't leave until you are covered in mud) and mud skin care products. However the one activity that we both participated in was this obstacle course thing where you had to run across these floating pads to reach the other end (think those Japanese/Korean game shows where people try and do crazy obstacles). There really was no purpose but it was entertaining. When you first step up to go there is this Korean woman who does a mini-interview and then sends you on your way. It was nice being able to understand and answer her questions in Korean (yah!). Although her questions were pretty much what is your name and where are you from, so I was found out as a non-native Korean pretty fast. Sadly I don't have any pictures because I thought a camera and mud wouldn't really go well together. Still to get the general idea here are some pictures of others: http://www.worknplay.co.kr/buryeongsites/index.html

Visa Success

So the main adventure today was getting the visa extension and alien registration forms filled and processed. Thankfully the process was a major success. All is now well on that front and it only took an awkward moment of silence and a nod from the visa/immigration officer. I felt bad for my Korean friend who I brought along in case serious Korean interpretation was needed. So now all I have to do is wait and next next Monday pick up the new student visa and alien registration card! Yeah, for administrative things. Actually I am just glad it was as easy as it was.

Mud Festivals and Finals

So I would update more but currently I am procrastinating in a major way and really need to study for the Korean finals which begin tomorrow. So right a quick update is I went to a Mud Festival on Sunday which was an absolute blast. However will post more on that later...after finals that is.

Tuesday Holiday!!

I have been fairly confused with my days this week because Tuesday was a national holiday in Korea! I think it was Korea's Constitution Day, although I am not entirely sure. However I do know that it meant a day completely free to do whatever we wanted. So Chikae and I went to the 11th annual Puchon PiFan film festival. We had seen a lot of ads in the subway stations for it and thought we might as well check it out.

I initially had no conception of how large the festival would be. They had seven different theaters all playing movies and the festival itself ran for a good two weeks. We sadly missed the movie that Chikae wanted to see but went and saw different movies later on in the day. I saw "Whispers and Moans" a movie from Hong Kong about the lives of prostitutes. It intertwined about five different women and one transgendered man's story with the common link between them of being prostitutes at the same hotel. It was sad but also uplifting in a way. Watching it however proved challenging as the screen was covered in text, on the side were Korean subtitles, English subtitles on the bottom, and Chinese subtitles above that. It was a little difficult to follow it all.

I also still need to see Harry Poter :(...its in Korea, I just need to go to it at some point.

Monday I went to this massive underground shopping area. I had heard that the shopping center had a bookstore with a decent English book selection. I bought a few books about Korea, one on modern history (Korean war-Present), one on Globalization and Feminism in Korea (I needed a reminder of Wesleayan, ha), and a book of old Korean love poems. The shopping center was borderline overwhelming. First off it was massive and all underground, so unnaturally lit. Secondly it was quite easy to get lost, since things started to blend together; I think I strolled the circumference of the mall at least three times. Third, there were a huge number of people making it more confusing. So I pretty much went in a few stores, bought the books, and left.

I cannot wrap my head around the fact that it has almost been a month already. As in the language program ends NEXT WEEK. Dear god, where did the time go. I also need to seriously study.

First Time Out of Seoul

So this Sunday was our first trip out of Seoul. We (Kana, Chikae and I) decided to go to a beach close to the international airport, a good 70 min. away from the city by subway. Of course it couldn't be as simple as a subway ride, and getting to the final destination required a sequence of subway-bus-ferry-bus rides. We left late afternoon and by the time we got to the beach it was already early evening. The water was a little cold so we didn't swim much, and neither did the Koreans (who interestingly don't seem to wear swimming suits, just regular clothes). After building an amazing toilet shaped sand castle and wading a little we walked over to a playground to continue our wholesome summer fun. As we were swinging and playing on the bars a group of about seven some Korean girls, ranging from the ages of 7-9 slowly starting approaching us, whispering various Korean words which included Japanese and American. The group finally approached us and asked in English if we were Japanese. Our answer (two Japanese and an American) sparked a giggle from the group as they promptly ran away. This same process occurred another five some times as they came back asking our names, favorite Japanese/American singers, favorite food, etc. This however was not the end of our encounters with them...

Chikae wanted to wash her feet because of the sand so we asked them where the nearest shower/bathroom was, at which point they decided they would led us there. As Chikae was in the bathroom one of the girls asked if she could take our picture (or to be exact kept saying the word picture and making a picture taking motion). Kana by now was acting increasingly nervous/terrified of the kids, mainly because she had no clue what they were saying (little English and Korean) and also Kana's not exactly kid friendly. I was trying to get them to pose and take their picture with us but that wasn't exactly what they had ind mind. They pointed at Kana and said your face is so...beautiful! At which point all seven some whipped out cellphone cameras and simulations *clicks* could be heard. Kana, who is very modest and hates her picture being taken, let out a little yelp, covered her face, hid behind a telephone pole and started yelling Chikae's name. The kids all looked amazingly confused and kept saying STAY STAY while I stood awkwardly trying to comfort Kana and shield her from the kids-turned-paparazzi. Chikae finally came out of the bathroom and we made our hurried escape back to the buses. Kana's infamous last words (translated from Japanese) were, "how can you do this to me on my day of rest" and directed towards the kids "die". Words that simply made Chikae and I start cracking up. Ah the woes of being confused as a Japanese model.

More Pictures:

The Japanese Beauty ----->
Beaches Shots (notice the lack of swim suits also in the second picture can you see the reminder of home?)

I Forgot About Sunday

I totally forgot about Sunday which was actually a rather packed day as well, but slipped my mind until I was reminded by the cellphone pictures of Seoul Tower.

Maki (another Japanese student who is friends with Kana and Chikae) wanted us all to meet her husband. Maki who is older than us (33), and Maki's husband, took us to this nice seafood restaurant where I again ate octopus (still as chewy as ever). I kind of just sat there and ate because they all spoke in Japanese, yet I am starting to develop liking for the way Japanese flows. After dinner we had our first and thankfully only supremely awkward moment as we stood on the stairs leading up to the restaurant and Maki and her Husband (who had just paid for our dinner) stood at the bottom of the stairs. It is at this point that we started bowing, and thanking, and bowing, and thanking for a good two mintues, it was a bit of a tennis match back and forth. It became more awkward as Kana later pointed out that you are suppose to bow lower than the person who is being respected (in this case Maki's Husband) yet we were on stairs making us seem really high up and them really low down. Awkwardness just all around.

We then walked up another massive hill to a ski lift which took us up to the top of the mountain where Seoul tower is located. It was alright night when we got there so we saw the tower and city illuminated. We opted out of going all the way up because it was dark outside but took pictures, walked, talked, around the base of the tower. Eventually we headed back down and took the subway back to Yonsei.

Seoul At Night:

Gahhhh...My Legs

A combination of hills, a jazz dance class, and Taekwondo is starting to spell disaster for my legs. This Tuesday I went and checked out a dance studio located in the neighborhood called GNI Dance. I brought clothes but wasn't expecting to dance much. I figured I would scope out the place see how the classes were, level/experience, costs, etc. But the instructor asked me my name and simply through me right in. It was a bit awkward at first being the only guy in a small room with about 25 Korean girls all saying the word for guy combined with some verb/adjective combination that I do not know. Still, the class was great, fast paced, around my level, and I think I am going back tomorrow.

However my legs are telling me maybe not such a good idea because the whole Mon-Wed-Fri Taekwondo class was enough to make them a little sore and the Tue-Thurs Jazz dance might just push them over the edge. It doesn't help that Yonsei is built on a hill and Mu-Auk is located at the top. Still, we'll see, depends on how I feel tomorrow morning.

Other news, watched Transformers with Chikae and this actual Korean (as opposed to us fake Korean-Americans) guy I met. Also had the pre-interview for the campus glbt group, which I guess I passed, since they invited me to their meetings. Overall a busy first few days of the week.

A View from My Window

It was the first almost cloudless sky in Seoul.
This is a picture of my view.
I never knew there were mountains in the far distance.

Weekend Update

Hi all, this week has been a bit action packed and I feel like this is the first time I've been able to sit down and write. It is strange but I feel as if I have been in Seoul for a long time already even though I am only on my third week. The weeks are also flying by which means I know it will be over before I even know it.

Classes are now officially in full swing. We are moving very quickly through the book and doing a lesson a day. The teacher is extremely nice, almost too nice, as in no homework or tests. Still, I can't be complaining too much about it, just forces outside study time. The classmates are a mix of kids who want to be there and some who don't, but the don'ts usually end up sleeping or don't really show up. This only reduces the smallish class size even lower, although four people at Wes is hard to beat.

Seoul is this massive, bustling metropolis. It appears that there is a little bit of everything for everyone. Still I am surprised at the amount of English, usually in neon sign form, that appears in the busier areas. Sometimes I can get sucked in and begin to think that I am not actually in a place where people speak a different language...and then I try and order food/buy something.

So, what have I been up to? Well I laid low Monday and Tuesday, going out to get food, met up with a study partner and generally had a relaxing two days. Then on Wednesday I went out to a swing dance club with my friend, Chikae, who can actually swing dance. It was a blast. Right when we walked in we saw about 30 some Koreans doing one of the most elaborate line dances I have ever seen, but in about half an hour it broke up and they started play the swing music. The crowd was a surprising mix but skewed a little older than us. Chikae danced and for a while I just watched. I did try my hand when Korean women came up and asked to dance. However the few times I tried it ended in stunted disaster. However when we were about to leave one of the people Chikae had danced with came up and told us about other dance clubs. He also said that there are clubs where they do free beginner lessons, so we will probably check one of those out, (picture to the right: Chikae doing her thing).

Friday night turned out to be another jammed pack night. After class and some rest we decided to go out to a big shopping area called Dongdaemun, but not for the purpose of shopping. A friend, Kana, from Japan had found out that there they were filming a music act show for tv, where popular Korean singers come and sing on stage outside of a department store. As we walked from the subway we passed about three department shows all of which had stages with people playing music/singing. It was a battle of the which department store could attract the biggest crowds. We did eventually find the biggest of the stages and the one with the cameras filming. It was quite a scene with a huge group of high schoolers standing in front of the stage, many people slightly older standing behind them, and crowds of on lookers who were just passing by. The music was typical Korean pop, a mix of hyper-dance-pop tunes and love ballads. Still it was fun to par-take in Korean pop culture.

Afterwards we headed to Itewon, a district known for catering to the foreigners but also (and interesting from a sociologist perspective) where Korea's gay district is located, to check out one of the local gay clubs. We had an interesting encounter as we were walking up the street (which literally is one street) when we saw one of the tour group leaders. He looked equally if not more befuddled than we did, and initially asked if we were horribly lost. Still, we had a nice drink with him and hung out some. The people were all really nice and one of the owners of a cafe came up and sat down with us, told us about the area and where we should head. We ended up at a club called Trance where there was a good number of people and at 2:00 am a drag show occurred. It was the typically pride songs and I must say the Koreans put on a very good show with ladies who had a lot of very well done plastic surgery. Overall I had a great time and again had to come back to the dorms at 5:30.

Um...well the mosquitoes are out in force so I need to go buy one of those home smelly things to stop them from biting me. I was doing well with them but then woke up with about seven bites on me. Thats the only annoyance though, that and perhaps that the bathrooms don't have paper towels, so maybe I'll buy those as well.

Three Hours with a Cellphone

Well, I finally got the pictures off the cell phone, an operation that took a good three hours. Without getting too technical the program was missing various files so I had to get them from the same program but in a different language and stick them in which magically worked. Anyway...so here are some of the pictures from the 6-6 night.


The Japanese music artist in the underground cafe. ---->





<------------- Going to the Club (third from the right is Terry whose birthday it was)










< ------ McDonalds Ketchup in Korean




Alright I really need to study now, which was suppose to be doing all afternoon before I got wrapped up in this cellphone nonsense. Although I must say having a camera on a cellphone can be very handy.