Macbook pro.

My three month old computer broke. Literally, one second it was fine and then the next not so much. The ethernet port broke spontaneously. Luckily, it is covered by my warranty or else it would have been about $700 problem to fix. Unfortunately, I am going on two weeks without a computer. The repair place is waiting for a part. As soon as I get it back I have a lot of pictures to post.

Helpless.

Mr. Shin.

Kelly and me in my apartment.

The most annoying thing about being in Korea is that you are completely helpless, when it comes to everyday problems. Things like going to the pharmacy to get medicine requires the aid of one of the English speaking teachers. Thankfully, the Korean culture is overly helpful. Especially, one teacher at the school, who's English is great, has taken me to the bank three times and has came with me to the doctors. She is also willing to translate for me, when I have an issue and need to speak to the director of the school. Recently my Internet has stopped working. Which is my life line. I can't just call Comcast and have them walk me through it. I have to call my boss and he has to come over, which is always a little awkward.

So I call Mr.Shin and less then an hour later he is at my apartment. He quickly unplugs and replugs some cords and before I know it my Internet is restored. Now the awkwardness starts. He starts inspecting my tiny apartment. Wrapping up cords and sticking them behind furniture, fixing my screen on the window and looking at my pictures on my refridgerator. He tells me my father is very handsome. Then he goes in to my kitchen and starts opening my cabinets. Kelly and me cringe cause I have s drawer full of tampons and pads in the kitchen and we can only imagine Mr. Shin's reaction if he opens it (no one uses tampons here, they aren't virginal). He skips over the drawer, but I am a little uncomfortable because in America we don't randomly go through people's houses. Kelly assured me he did the same to her and they are just curious about how we live.

He then sits down by my computer and picks up my Nikon and asks to take a picture us of us. He tells me about his thirty year old Nikon and proceeds to play with my camera. Mr. Shin studied art and always asks to see my own personal work. He told me he wanted to interview me for the job because he saw I went to art school. It's kinda of weird art school got me the job even though I had no prior teaching experience.

Unfortunately, after he left because he had an appointment to drink with his friend (everything is translated to appointment not meeting, hanging out with or anything casual) my Internet stopped working. So this means another weird interaction at my apartment in the near future.

Actual pictures of me.

These are pictures from a few weeks ago, when I was in Hongdae. I posted pictures from this night already. Here are pictures I got from my friend Jenny to prove I am actually in Korea. In this picture you can see my white bra. It is because of her flash, you couldn't see it when I was walking around.

Greg, Justin and me (a little Philly in Korea).

Random Korean girl, Justin, Aaron, Greg, and me.

Beer in my eye.

Aaron and me.

Seoul tour.

Museum of Art at Seoul National University. I didn't notice this man hanging from the building at first, but then when I was taking a picture I notice him slightly swaying in the wind.

MOA.

MOA.

MOA.

Sign at Unhyungung Palace.

MOA.

Rotting newspapers in an alley.

Random houses.

Left on the street (wish I could trash pick this).

Crazy bird.

View from Seoul National University (up the hill from my house). Hundreds of old people in full hiking gear (back packs, boots, walking sticks, etc.) are always in my area because they all go to hike this mountain.

View on the way back from the university.

Pagoda from 1462.

Incense and people praying outside Jogyesa Temple.

Jongno Tower.

Lanterns outside Jogyesa Temple.

Buddah and his money.

Bottles of water and other bags of stuff left for Buddah.

Fish filled with sweet red bean (I was eating one of these a day, they are less then $.40).

Insadong vendor.

Phone charms. Every Korean has something like this attached to their phone. Some charms are bigger then this, like the size of small stuffed animals (both man and women alike of all ages).

Another bad Korean to English translation.

Rice cakes and sweet potato latte, which was delicious and actually had chinks of sweet potato in it (it was kinda of soup like).

Seocho is an area in Seoul.

View from the top of Seoul Arts Center (saw a Klimt, poster and Eames exhibit).

SAC.

SAC.

SAC.

SAC (was getting yelled out by a security guard for taking this picture inside the opera house).

SAC.

SAC.

Sleeping.

Four days a week I teach after school English programs. The last class of the day is at 4:10-5:00. The kids are usually exhausted and beat by the time I get them. In this particular class we were going over body parts. The boy in the black shirt was standing against the wall for most of the class because he was being disruptive. He was literally though towards the end of class leaning against the wall with his head sleeping. So I let him sit down and he passed out. The other boy was already starting to doze. So I made the class get up to sing the "Hokey Pokey" to reenergize them. The kid in the black shirt wasn't having it. The kid in the stripes literally fell asleep standing up, then he fell on the table with his legs still standing, then a moment later slid back onto the seat. After the rest of the class finished singing, class was over. I went to wake the kid up in the black shirt first, which wasn't that difficult. However, the kid in the stripes was incoherent and there was a river of drool on the desk. The other teacher and I literally had to pick him up and stand him up to get him to come out of his coma like state.

Outside of school.

As I left work today, one of the parents left their bike and dog outside, when they came to pick up their child. I first notice the sweet green bike then the cute puppy.

My wild, crazy, Christian Saturday night.

My Korean friend Guard has been amazingly nice to me. He has taken me out and shown me much of the city. Tonight he introduced me to his friend Jinok, a Korean girl my age. We walked to Seoul National University, so he could show me the track, where I can run. After that, we went to dinner. Last time I ate with him I tried their version of chicken soup. He knew I wasn't feeling well, so he told me it would make me feel better. In the soup you get a whole baby chicken with rice, ginseng root and nuts (peanut, ginkgo and chestnuts). It was very delicious. This time I got to experience something new again. Steamed pork that you eat with cabbage leaves and kimchi. I haven't really liked much kimchi, but however I really enjoyed it at this restaurant. It was spicy. The meal was also served with a spicy sauce with teeny, tiny shrimp mixed in it and a soy bean paste. Just like every meal, the dinner was served with rice (bap) and a soup, which is usually overly salty. This particular restaurant we ate on the floor. It is funny cause we were not in a Korean part of the city and many of the other diners were looking at me. Jinok, especially watched my chopstick skills and impressed with my ability. However, Guard is not an orders me a fork which I refuse to use.

Both Guard and her are Christians. They prayed before they started to eat, they don't really drink and they study all the time. Their English is limited, so our conversation is limited, as well. This Saturday compared to an average Saturday in Philadelphia is very different. To them I come across so nice and good. Not that I am not, but if they could understand what life back at home is like I doubt they we would talk to me. They don't realize they practically had dinner with the anti-Christ. I nearly burn up, when I enter church and my mouth is incredibly dirty. It is sort of weird that my existence has taken on something else here in Korea.

Its funny though, just walking down the street I am stared at. There is no hiding here. I am use to being able to blend in walking down the streets in Philadelphia and even in my travels to Europe to a certain extent. But here I am noticed and constantly examined, like how little kids look at disabled people. It is a feeling I am not use to and don't enjoy.

After dinner, we go get coffee. The World Champion baseball game was on. It was Korea versus Japan. The coffee house was packed with people watching the game on the large flat screen. Here in Korea everywhere is a hangout: McDonald's, Dunkin Doughnuts, Starbucks, everywhere. After enjoying our coffee, it was time for Guard to continue his studies, so I am now home at the very late hour of 9:45 pm. I think I will wake up early and run tomorrow. 

Mini tour through Seoul.

My Korean friend, Guard, offered to take me around the city. I happened to have off on a Friday, so we met around 10:00 am by my apartment. We bought tickets for the city tour bus with Guard was insistent to pay for. In fact, he paid for everything, both lunch and dinner, as well as any admission fees. When Koreans invite you some where, it is custom for them to pay. I tried to offer money, but it is basically insulting too. We decide to get off at Namsangol Hanok Village for our first stop. It is a free park of old traditional houses moved to this area that were originally from different parts of Seoul.

Food storage/ fermentation jars.

Hooks where lanterns hang.

Shoes left outside a building.

Two men dressed in traditional Korean fighting clothing.

In the center of the housing they had games left out in the court yard, that Koreans use to play.

Seoul Tower is actually a broadcasting tower. You can go to the top of it which I didn't (too over priced and I hate heights. However, from the observation deck you still get great views. You can walk up the hill or take a tour bus like us, but it only drops you off so far. The short distance you have left to walk is a very steep incline. When I arrived at the top, I saw these wired silhouettes of the human form suspended.

A view of Seoul, you can the Han River.

These locks with personal messages are secured everywhere to the railing.

The observation deck and thousands of locks.

Their are locks there to purchase, but people bring their own.

Seoul Tower. It's kinda of ugly. It looks better at night when it is lit.

Changdeokgung Palace.

A chimney. All the buildings were heated under neath by coals, but the chimneys were 15 feet on the side of the buildings.

Insadong, my new favorite street. It is full of shopping and galleries.

A crazy outdoor mall. You walk up on a ramp-like isles. Every floor has some artistic flair.

Outdoor vendor with corn and different dried and fried seafood.

Cars and people sharing the streets of Insadong.

My new favorite street food, hotteok. They are filled with cinnimon, honey parte and nuts.

The next day I returned to Insadong by myself and every street corner in the area had masses of cops. I have seen this once before in Hongdae on Valentine's Day.  Nothing appeared to be wrong and no one seemed worried.