My shoes.

Last week was so fast. Wow. Haven't made time to update... if I make it to a computer I spent the time emailing or practicing Korean. I just revised some English stuff my buddy 규 상 gave me. Difficult at times, but studying a bit of Korean has helped me see why learning English is so tough for most Koreans I've encountered. So different (duh). Maybe that is advantageous in the long run: you've got to really know the language and you're starting from scratch. Not like going from Spanish to French or something like that.

Executive decision... spending some of my next paycheck on internet for the apartment. Not worth choking down tobacco smoke each time I want to get on the computer. KT has English support so it shouldn't be too big of a problem. Then I can put pictures on here to my hearts content.

Had a solid week. Work went really fast and I spent a decent amount of time laughing with the kids. Funny stuff just naturally happens when you're trying to express yourself in a new language.

Fun weekend, one of my students and her grandparents treated me to some Korean style ham for lunch of Saturday. It was good stuff. The grandparents like to make sure I eat enough... not a problem because it seems there's always a massive amount of leftovers with most traditional Korean meals I have. And the seating arrangement is traditional too, "indian style". Haha... terrible name for it now that I think about it but oh well. I can't do that though or I'm in pain for days afterwards. I just stretch my feet out under the table and the Koreans I'm eating with get a good-natured laugh out of it. I'm glad I can't sit that way... I see many middle-aged Koreans with knee problems and older Koreans with back problems. Significant ones. I'm taking a wild guess sitting on the floor with your knees in that awkward position doesn't help things. Many restaurants in Seoul that I saw had Western style seating... but not 강릉.

Saturday night I hung out with some really friendly people my age from church (Gyu Sang included). They have varying levels of English. Some of them are studying English solely from tapes. It's a little bit funny when they try to recite things from the tape in conversations with me, and they realize it. Couple of them were desperate to arm wrestle me...

Sunday: Went to church, dinner afterwards downstairs in the church. Good company. Went downtown... bookstore, cd store. Juarim / 자우림 album. I found an internet site where you can learn some Korean through music. This cd used in the first few lessons. I'll edit with the link when I figure out more MS Windows Korean (it's a bit difficult because the site uses frames and stuff).

Thanks to the generosity of everyone I've met I only had to figure out breakfast on Saturday and Sunday for myself. The other meals were taken care of. Now to figure out ways to return the favors...