Eight Seasons in the Land of the Morning Calm

Happy Ending... for now.

2011-05-29T10:52:00.001-07:00

Okay. This blog is officially wrapped. I left the text for a read. I closed my Flickr, because like most things, it has gone untouched in about a year. Lots of photos be gone (cause they were from back in the day when Blogger didn't have it's own photo server-blah-blah thingy), which will make for some bizarre posts since some were photo only. I'm sorry. :(

I am going to be blogging, again. But currently have my hands full with trying to build my design portfolio, and um, going to Korea with our son for 7 weeks while the husband studies at Yonsei University.

The long/short of it? I will post a link here to my new blog when I get to it, which will likely be August. I'm sorry for the delay. It will totally be worth it, though.

For now, use this to distract yourself:

I know a genuine king!!!

2009-10-16T08:37:00.005-07:00

The Hobo King, aka Tommy the Greek, aka Inkman.

I met Tommy one day when he wandered into the shop down in SODO. He singled me out saying, "You look like a good Irish girl" in what can only be described as the one of the strongest South Chicago accents I've heard in some time.

What followed was a conversation that lasted over an hour, and had nothing to do with anything in the shop. Tommy speaks in varying rhythms. He shares openly. His pattern goes from rapid fire to ambling to quietly searching. We talk about Chicago, about food, about what brought our lives to Seattle before it all drifts back to Chicago. He tells me he's a Hobo. I tell him I can't recall ever meeting a Hobo to which he flashes his classic nearly-closed-eyes, wide mouth grin.

Since that first day, Tommy stops in the shop occasionally to check on me. He shares his history as a Hobo. It's an amazing one. He shows me some of his "hobo nickels", and comments on his tattoos. Tommy's acquaintances are just as interesting as you'd think, too. A mafia boss, professors, politicians, shop keepers, not to mention herds of other Hobos.

Tommy keeps life interesting. He doesn't mince words. Life is simple - no credit cards, no cellphone, no computers. He was off the grid until being named King of the Hobos. He's proud of his title, but was even more proud when he told me about the headstone him and fellow hobos made to honor their friend Preacher Steve.

I have met a lot of interesting folks in my lifetime, most likely due the careers I've pursued. I often wonder if these characters are meant to refresh my perspective on life. Tommy is unique, though. He's not chatting over a beer with the benefit of "booze philosophy", he's just Tommy. He's the Hobo King. He's a rough and tumble, hardworking welder. He's a storyteller. He is, as far as I have known, as genuine as they come.

In the face of a $106 ticket, my advice to you is to remain calm.

2009-07-22T20:09:00.005-07:00

For those not in "the know", in late June I was pulled over by a motorcycle cop while on my bicycle. I wish I could say it was dramatic, but I got nothin'. No lights, no sirens, just a mustachioed officer yelling at me over the rumble of his motor to pull over.

I complied, and unlike my youthful days, remained quiet and polite as he issued me a $106 ticket for running a red light. After issuing the ticket, the cop looked bummed. "Bicyclists must usually give him a lot of shit," I thought.

Before getting back on his hog, he flipped the ticket over and suggested I send in for a mitigation hearing. I figured he felt bad because I was so compliant, either that or he was embarrassed by the foot traffic laughing at him for pulling over a bike commuter.

I sent in the ticket and waited for my court date to arrive. As it turns out, the courts are backed up in a big way. They offered an adjudication by mail. Now, anyone who knows me a lick, knows I have some finesse with words. So after a week of stewing, I wrote this:

Dear Sir or Madam:

I do not own a car. Since moving to Seattle over a year ago, I have either walked or commuted by bike every workday. I walk or ride the same route from Beacon Hill, down Holgate, to 1st Ave South in SoDo. Walking/cycling the same route to and from work - the potholes and unused tracks, the signals and traffic patterns - became like the back of my hand, familiar and predictable, that is until 2 weeks ago.

On the day of the incident, I was cycling to work and was stopped by a red light at the SODO busway and Holgate. The new Light Rail was running, and all traffic was stopped heading East and West. After the Light Rail coach passed and the gates raised, the busway lights for traffic heading North and South turned red. I started to peddle toward the intersection in anticipation of the light change. The Eastbound traffic had started moving, and until this day the green light had never been staggered at this intersection. That is to say, lights had always changed at the same time. This day, however, the lights were staggered. The Westbound lanes weren’t getting the green light that the Eastbound had. By the time I realized this, and uttered a confused expletive under my breath, I was already a few feet into the intersection. I also want to mention that there were no public transit vehicles present in the bus way, only eastbound traffic, continuing east. As I was already in the intersection, I continued through instead of awkwardly stopping and walking my bike back. I realize that this is why I was issued the ticket.

I am asking for fine forgiveness or leniency based on the fact that I have never had a traffic citation in a year and a half of alternative commuting, and that I have never seen the lights staggered at the Holgate bus way intersection before the day of the incident or any day since. I am also uncertain as to whether this light may be an inductive one. If this is the case, the cars traveling Westbound with me that day were giving generous space, so perhaps no one was positioned correctly to change the light. Maybe it was an experiment to change traffic flow with the introduction of the new Light Rail. Whatever the cause of the sudden & brief change in light programming, I assure you that I have continued my commute with a renewed sense of vigilance, and would like to reiterate my plea for fine forgiveness based on the information above.

Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Audrey P.
Beacon Hill, Seattle

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks later, I received notice that my fine had been completely forgiven. Needless to say, I'm glad my letter found the right judge. But what I'm really glad for, is that I kept my mouth shut throughout the entire episode.

Author Audrey: 1
Issues w/Authority Audrey: 0

I'm glad May is over

2009-06-04T09:53:00.003-07:00

It's been a long week, and that's saying something because I thought May would never end. Lessons learned:

•Should one get in an accident with a car whilst riding one's bike, don't be nice. Call the police. If one doesn't, the asshole driver that caused the accident will call two weeks later and try get $250 for the mirror one broke with one's leg whilst fishtailing to avoid a direct impact that could've caused serious injury. Asshole driver should just be happy that he didn't kill anyone with his mindless driving in the presence of cyclists and pedestrians. One now has a lawyer should this asshole want to be taken to the cleaners.

•Don't shop at Men's Warehouse. They will tailor a suit incorrectly, and then call one a moron because the correct fit of a suit should apparently make it impossible to raise one's arms. After attempting to force the ill-tailored suit upon one, they finally concede it's tailored like shit. Upon returning to collect the replacement jacket, they will try to sell one the degenerate suit, again. After this, they will make one feel like shit for making them do the paid-tailoring correctly. In the end, they will have tailored one in three suit coats well. Don't shop at Men's Warehouse.

•Just because one's coworkers are scheduled to work does not mean they will. Sometimes they just don't want to, or they "forget" to come in. When one fills in forgoing one's day off, one will sit at work and listen to coworkers complain about how they deserve more time off. Just because they show up for their shift, this doesn't mean that they'll work either. One can be guaranteed that coworkers will complain about about pretty much everything, though.

•Without an ass-kissing gene, one may work the hardest of everyone and go unnoticed.

More to come . . .

Thighs of Steel

2009-05-17T10:36:00.003-07:00

I can go on a bit - a long bit - about the absolute necessity of wearing a helmet when biking on city streets (or anywhere for that matter). The people who refuse can also go on a bit with their lame ass excuses for why they can't bear to wear one. These excuses run the gambit from allergies to uncomfortable, and are all B.S. Vanity is the main culprit, as is evidence by the number of hipsters on Cap Hill that seem to come up with head wounds, the "tough guys" on their dirt bikes charging full steam to cut off trucks in SODO, and the princesses in their floral skirts wanting to carry an air of romance into the exhaust filled avenues.

Alex bought me a new bike helmet for my birthday. As we were outside Velo Bike Shop adjusting the fit, a hiptser type was walking his bike past. He had gauze tightly wrapped around head and blood trickling down his face. No helmet to be seen, and judging from the source of the bleeding, none was worn. Given that it's bike to work month, this has become a pretty common sight.

Most people blame cars. It's easy because the cars/trucks/semis don't like to share the road with pedestrians of any kind. I have been nearly run down so often, I've considered wearing a helmet when I walk. Drivers like to cut off bikes, roll down windows and cuss at/threaten bikers . . . I've gotten "the bird", an annoyed honk or few, a handful of exasperated looks, and nearly had my toes shorn off by a person who couldn't be bothered with Seattle's cellphone laws. For all these reasons, I wear a helmet. While it would suck to lose my toes or have a limb crunched by a car, I imagine a life-changing or life-ending head injury would probably suck more. No offense intended to people sensitive about the mention of injuries of any kind.

Alex wears a helmet. Alex has been in two "altercations" with cars in a year. His latest run in was 2 weeks ago. While the helmet's stoutness was never tested, the fact he was wearing one put my mind at ease. I know that a helmet can't prevent all injury, but when you're married to Alex every little bit helps.

So a car takes a right turn into the bike lane - GASP - without looking. Alex is going downhill and has to slam on the brakes of his brand new bike. Good news! The brakes work. Alex fishtales probably saving his bike from being totaled, and broadsides the car with his leg. That's right, the Martin thigh took the brunt of the impact.

my husband (on a bike) can beat up your car

If you think this looks bad, you should see the other guy . . . er, car. Alex's thigh managed to break the side mirror, so that it dangled useless at the vehicle's side.

fish bladders

2009-04-25T10:39:00.002-07:00

NPR is outstanding for several reasons, and "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" for its random trivia tidbits, in particular. Today I learned that vegans can't drink Guinness. . . fish bladders are used in the brewing process. Vegans are not supposed to eat any product culled from animals (like meat), but in the strictest sense nothing that uses animals (fish included). They like to pontificate about the virtues of eating this way, and while I agree with the environmental impact concerns, the rest . . . meh.

I could go on and on, and so could they - and they do when one doesn't budge from being a omnivore. Alex and I actually eat more like Flexitarians. Veggies are delicious, but so is bacon. Honey is a great sweetener that I refuse to give up, and gummy bears a tasty, low-fat candy. Let's just agree to disagree Vegans of the Pacific NW. I'll have my Guinness, and you can ingest whatever cocktail quells your bizarre guilt for being higher in the food chain than a guppy.

2009-02-17T10:42:00.000-08:00

김치찌개
4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 Tsp Sesame oil
3 Cloves garlic, crushed & sliced
6 oz Fresh Pork Belly (삼겹살 cuts), cut into thin slices

1.5 - 2 Cups Kimchi, cut into manageable pieces
2 Tbs Gochujang (고추장, korean red pepper paste) - or however much spice you like
1 Cup Kimchi juice, if you don't have enough sub water for rest
6 Cups water
4 Tbs Pork Dashi
Green onion, chopped up
1 10 oz package firm/extra firm tofu, drained & cut into small rectangles

•In a pan over medium heat, add sesame oil, garlic, and pork. Cook until pork is just browned, and add all to slow cooker.
• In same pan with pork drippings, lightly cook kimchi for about 2 minutes. Then add to slow cooker.
• Add the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT green onion). Don't worry about stirring it together or anything, the cooker will take care of most of it.
•Set cooker to low (8 hours). It doesn't need to cook 8 hours, but I prefer it cooking at lower heat. I let this cook for about 4 hours, stirring once.
•About 10 minutes before serving, add green onion.

Garnish with green onion & crushed sesame seeds.
Serve with rice.

failed camping

2009-02-15T13:15:00.004-08:00

Things were starting to look up . . . Alex and I actually had two consecutive days off together, which happens once in a blue moon, a friend lent us his car, and the weather had been pleasant. We thought, "What the hell. Let's go camping."

Those of you who know us well, know that this was about the point where we should have laughed at our optimism, rented movies, and stayed indoors. Those of you who know us even better, know that we loaded up the car and made for the Columbia River delta anyway.

Let's just say our vacations together have been a consistent exercise in bad weather luck (see Jeju/Typhoon, Mokpo/Sun-poisoning, Gyeongju/Cold Snap, etc.). Thankfully we're never unprepared, and have mastered improvisation and the difficult but much-needed task of finding any available silver lining. So off we go through the mountains to the coast along highway 101.

We figured we'd see snow, but the coast was supposed to be warmer and not as damp. However, the closer we got to our destination the windier and wetter it got. I was, to say the least, crabby. After planning, packing, and daydreaming about a quiet campsite with Alex, I knew it wasn't going to happen. We reached the fork in the road that would either take us to Ilwaco, WA and the aptly named "Cape Disappointment" or Astoria, OR.

Where this would register as a major upset earlier in our vacationing career, we decided without hesitation to head for Astoria and peruse the town of "Goonies". We laughed at our luck as we crossed the Columbia River, and with that a road trip down the coast eclipsed camping.

click on the photo for slideshow

Prepping for Portland weekend.

2008-09-12T14:05:00.002-07:00

I am headed to Portland (sans husband) to visit Ross for the weekend. I very excited about the resale stores in the city, the band we're going to see that just happens to be a block from Ross' apartment, and the fact that the weather will be gorgeous if not HOT.

Of course, I'm also excited for my Amtrak transportation. I haven't been on an Amtrak since college when I'd take the train from Chicago to Ann Arbor, and at a whopping $56.00 round trip, I'll have plenty of extra money for my vintage-hunting endeavors.

Don't worry, the camera will be in tow. Plenty of pictures to come.

posting is hard . . .

2008-09-09T13:58:00.004-07:00

Well if anyone is still checking in on us here, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see that it took only 2 months for me to get this blog in motion, again. It's not for lack of want to blog, it's the motivation . . . The motivation to go to the library to get online.

All that has changed now. Alex and I decided it was time, once again, to have home internets. We're no longer at the whim of library hours to get our online fix.

We're also finally kinda settling into our lives in Seattle. It's been rough-going in a couple spots, but we are both in secure jobs now that even pay livable wages/offer affordable health insurance. More than I can say for employers in Chicago. So there's a big plus in Seattle's column.

We are coming up on our 4th wedding anniversary! That's some craziness. Sometimes it doesn't feel that long, and sometimes it feels like we've been married 20 years. We've been toying with the idea of a bike or hike for our celebration. Mount St. Helens has come up, and since it's stopped a steady constant eruption pattern, we may be able to hike up to see the lava dome. Still working out the details. Who knows . . . maybe we'll just catch the train to Canada to see a Canucks' game. Either one would be fun. I am so easily persuaded by hockey.

I've had some recent luck on Etsy selling some photography and apparel. That's a good motivator, and I've started making some stationary and photo cards, which you can find here.

AND . . .

Since the floor below us seems to have developed quite a roach problem, we are having our apartment pest-controlled to ward off la cucaracha (though I think the cats work really well, too). I had to empty the kitchen and bathroom for the pest-controlling to take place, and in the process found some interesting vintage items I had horded away. Needless to say, they will find their way into my other Etsy store.

So that's pretty much the big stuff. Everything else is just the everyday day-to-day that only an anthropologist might find interesting.

My job is cooler than your job . . .

2008-06-05T12:01:00.002-07:00

After finishing my first week at Outdoor Research, I have decided that it is one of the most badass jobs I've ever had.

That's all.

i quit.

2008-05-12T11:17:00.002-07:00

Seriously, the restaurant job I took in February to make the ends meet. . . was officially given notice yesterday. I feel 20 pounds lighter already. And just so I don't appear irresponsible, I have an interview tomorrow with Outdoor Research. Keep your fingers crossed or perform whatever job-mojo ritual you have on my behalf.

Alex turned 29 on May 6, and for those of you not yet "in the know", was promoted to shift supervisor at Starbucks. Not sure where all that's going, but for the moment, it appears up. Happy-Happy!

I turn 31 tomorrow. You can leave your condolences below in the comments section.

A HAPPY MOM DAY to all Mother's in the world . . . better late than never, eh?

Lastly, a2 would like to that Mom & Dad Martin for the lovely weekend in Chicago/Bloomington for Tim's graduation from Wesleyan (CONGRATS TIM!). We had an excellent time.

i'm a winner

2008-02-27T18:17:00.002-08:00

Orchard After Bloom (Traverse City, MI) was a first prize winner in Wolf Camera's "Big Print: Capture Your World" photo contest.

So there it is.
I now have money for my new camera.

*smiles*

first seattle post

2008-01-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

Besides my unemployment, our transition to Seattle has been lacking the stress that usually accompanies upheaval. The sun was stretching out across an empty sky when we landed at Sea-Tac. A sight that my brother said was rare this time of year. We ate a big breakfast, planned our way through most of the week, and then napped.

After a rainy Monday spent cleaning and ripping out the grotesque contact paper from the kitchen cabinets, our relocube arrived on another unseasonably sunny day. The total time it took to move our belongings from the cube to our apartment floor . . . 1 hour. It was an impressive feat made possible with the help of Justin and a very friendly ABF employee.

After one week and a trip to IKEA, our apartment is coming together better than either of us anticipated. Check out the dining area below. Isn’t that table about the awesomest thing you’ve ever seen?!!?!

More pictures on our flickr page, just click here.
First week shout-outs: Thanks to Justin and Andrea for all your help!

spaß

2007-10-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

Lunacy is in the air, or maybe it's just me feeling the crunch of having an actual, instead of self-enforced, schedule. The previously separate sects of my life are about to converge, and I'd prefer if they all came out running parallel instead of becoming a maelstrom. Will my new day job play nice with the rest of my life?

. . . stay tuned.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch. We're six weeks into the waiting game for the results of Alex's exam with possibly another 4-6 weeks to go. No real change there, but his part-time job is certainly keeping his mind occupied. He doesn't mention the exam every half hour like he used to, "Only 7 weeks 3 days and 16.5 hours left". It's the small things that preserve my sanity. I guess, I'm trying to thank Starbucks here. Weird.

To completely crunch my time into small pieces, I've been teaching myself to knit and have joined an online design challenge. It's all in good fun, and who doesn't love a challenge. Grandma Rosie would appreciate the fashion challenge. I abused her sewing machine many moons ago, ripping clothing apart to make new items. She still loves the "1 dress becomes 3 shirts" night, and I love amusing her. I'll have to send her some pics of this one.

And speaking of good fun, Alex is taking me to see the 3-D "Nightmare Before Christmas" at noon. Nothing like Tim Burton in 3-D to jumpstart a weekend!

I have more to say, but it's better said HERE.
* * * * *

this is the end

2007-08-11T14:29:00.001-07:00

Just as our eight seasons in Korea has ended, so has this blog's title. This site will no longer be known as "eight seasons in the land of the morning calm". There'll be some experimentation with titles (your suggestions are welcome, of course), so I apologize for wreaking havoc on your links menu. We are back in the states - for now - and can be reached using the email links on the right.

If you're looking for a small a2 fix, check out Audrey's online store, world as one, at the artist collective Etsy.com.

Etsy
Buy Handmade
AMPere

FINALLY . . . let the pictures begin

2007-05-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

As most of you certainly know, we returned to America safe and sound after a long and sleepless flight over the Pacific. Neither of us did more than briefly nod off, so upon landing in Seattle we looked stunning. Justin quickly shuttle us to his apartment where I was viciously attacked my mother. She lunged from the darkness of the bathroom attempting to scare the crap out of me. It was really sweet. We hugged and cried, and i did that annoying screaming thing that girls often do that i usually make fun of. My only consolation is that I did it in the privacy of an apartment instead of out on a public walkway.

With all the excitement of having not just my mother surprise us but my dad and little bro also, we were no longer tired. We spent the next few days enjoying the company (including Andrea who also lives out that way), and ignoring our jet lag to the point of sheer exhaustion.

After Seattle, we hopped down to visit some of Alex's extended family. Alex's bro, Chris, picked us up at the airport. We made our way to Scottsdale where we stayed with Uncle Mike & Aunt Bernice. Bernice cooked an excellent meatball dinner the first night, and I was not too shy about eating, let me tell you. We were also able to see Uncle Tom and Aunt Janey (since they live upstairs), and just settled into the comfortable family atmosphere. After an all too short but very lively visit in AZ, we boarded the plane for Chicago.

And Chicago is where we've been for a week now. Settling in, meeting up with friends and family, and trying to figure out what exactly is next. In the meantime, for your enjoyment, feel free to peruse the following pictures . . .

Our last 10 days in Korea: Travels, haircuts, and lots of Buddha

Our first days in Vietnam: Hanoi & Ha Long Bay

You can also link directly to our photographs from here

Quickie Update: Vietnam

2007-04-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

The nice thing about traveling without concrete plans or a schedule is the freedom it has given us to improvise and choose our own adventure. It's that freedom that allowed to us extend our stay in Hue after some nasty food poisoning, and may have found us the greatest way to tour the Mekong Delta region. More on that another time.

We're currently in the small central highlands city of Dalat. It was founded by some French dude looking to beat the heat of the lowland summers. While it offers a respite from the already seething heat, there is little else to do in the town. It's nice for that reason, too. I've been a bit travel weary after a month of constantly moving, and just needed a day or two to recuperate. The chilly nights have been excellent for sleep, and probably the last we'll need a blanket for the remainder of our trip. In mid-March, while we were in the North, Saigon was already registering temps of 90+ degrees F.

Tomorrow we leave for a beach town south of Nha Trang for some time in the surf and sun, before heading into the Mekong Delta for 5 days. Our last stop is Ho Chi Minh City. I promise to start posting pictures as soon as we get to Seattle. Well, maybe after a day of dealing with jet lag - sleeping.

Favorites:

Going to see the well-preserved Ho Chi Minh (aka Uncle Ho).
Touring a portion of the central highlands on the back of a motorbike.
Having clothing tailor-made in Hoi An.

Not so good:

The devious soy milk that kept me in a hotel bathroom for 2-days.
The equally devious wine that kept Alex in a hotel bathroom.
The fruit & postcard hawkers on Hoi An's beach that felt Alex was made of money (I think I need to carry a paper with the latest exchange rate that highlights the Euro and GBP).

so far so good

2007-03-08T05:26:00.000-08:00

Well our adventures didn't start out as planned, but we've made the most of it. Missed our first bus to Gyeongju and ended up in Busan for two nights. But I enjoy Busan's flavor, so it wasn't that much of a setback. We wrapped up loose ends in Gwangju with a quickness on Monday, and the most difficult part was parting with Master Lee. I cried a bit, and I think he wanted to, too. He hugged me for quite some time. Beyond that, I'm Happy to report Alex's contract was upheld.

We're doing well and enjoying our travels around Korea right now. Finally made it to Gyeongju on Wednesday. There's so much to see that we decided to stay until Saturday morning. We were also fortunate enough to run into a man that runs a budget hotel, AND he speaks excellent english. He drew us a great map of must-see attractions. Gyeongju is a large historical area with massive burial mounds of past kings. Lots of Buddhist culture, too. We were on Mt. Nam all day today taking in the sights. We'll be on the east side of the mountain tomorrow.

The only downside to our trip is that the food doesn't come close the the deliciousness of Gwangju. We were truly spoiled. There's no kimchi like Jeolla kimchi.

Audrey's (brief) Retrospective

2007-03-02T02:37:00.000-08:00

When asked about my experiences in Korea, I’ve discovered that words escape me. In the grand scheme of things, Alex and I have become so accustomed to the society and culture of Gwangju that we have a hard time remembering the specifics of our lives before coming here.

Korea is a country of nuances, which is why I find it so difficult to explain. I simply do, and of that I am the most proud. Living here has been challenging and far from easy, as you’ve no doubt read on this blog. At no other time in my life can I remember being so calm yet so awkward, or so self-conscious yet confident.

The cultural differences, even those that irk us, are just a normal part of everyday life, as is Kimchi. No longer does anyone warn us about spicy food or linger over us to make sure we know how to cook our Sam Gyup Sal. Most people, with the exception of children, barely seem to notice us as we wander our neighborhood. We are familiar and comfortable faces to shopkeepers and restaurant owners, who go out of their way to offer an “Annyong haseyo”. At night taxi drivers mistake me for a Korean, and the old women slap me on the back with wide smiles and nod approvingly at my grocery purchases. And though I will always stand out in a crowd, I move within them at ease.

Kumdo has truly been the greatest asset to our wellbeing. Our school is family, and a part of me feels empty leaving, just as I felt an emptiness leaving Master Cheon in Chicago. A great many memories of Korea will revolve around Kumdo; tournaments, demonstrations, & cabbage trucks, our 2nd & 3rd degree black belts, mornings in Damyang & lunches of Guksu, and the sadness in Master Lee’s eyes when we told him we were leaving.

As our time here comes to a close, I feel a tug on my heart that resembles an earlier homesickness for America and the familiar. It will overwhelm me when I walk the streets of Chicago. I’ll look to a horizon without mountains and fog and remember the chants of monks, the food stalls stuffed with uniformed teenagers, and strangers’ children climbing into my lap. I may even miss the kimbap deliverymen weaving their motorcycles between people on sidewalks, and the drunken businessmen trying to drag us into bars.

It has been a remarkable two years, and as we move on to our next adventure, Korea . . . Gwangju will always be a small piece of home for us in this wide world.

Alex's Year End Retrospective

2007-02-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

Another year has passed and I guess I should write something about what I supposedly have learned over the last two years. Again I think it might be short, but I have learned some things. And even as I look forward to about two months of wandering, and no longer having to be responsible for other people’s children, I will miss much of Korea. But the one thing that I have learned that has the most lasting impact, the one that will stay with me long after the memories have become hazy, probably as it will be the cause of that haziness, is that I am becoming an old man, and faster than I would like. I can sense that you might now go look at our profile or mine at my defunct (due to my laziness) blog, and say to me that I am not yet thirty. Very true that is so I guess I should elaborate. These are the ten ways in which I am becoming an old man before my time:

Hair Lines – I am balding and quickly, and my body hair is increasing daily. I
know that this is not something too special, which is why it is first.
Graying – Not only am I losing it, but it is also going white, mostly in the beard which can be a sexy thing so I do not mind too much.
Memory Loss – Now we are getting into weightier stuff. I even forget things mid-sentence. Very frustrating especially if you are trying to have a conversation with me.
Bunions – It is not just a woman’s issue. I started getting one late last year because Korean feet are so much smaller than my clompers.
Joint Pain – I have a bum knee that will need surgery, again, some time in the future and I cannot get out of bed in the morning for my back.
Noises – I found this year that I have started making many extraneous noises, most obviously while bending over to pick up stuff, even pencils.
Stiffness – You are only as old as your spine, and I really need to do more regular Yoga.
Sense of Humor – Perhaps it is not a sign of aging, but more a sign of being stuck in an older time. My sense of humor is painfully corny, or should I say buniony. Best shown through examples.
Hearing – I cannot hear anything in a crowded room, and sometimes I do not hear things people say when it is just Audrey and I. Couple this with the memory loss and conversations become nearly impossible.

And now for the kicker, perhaps the most bizarre, and at the same time the most telling of my destiny to become old quickly. . .

Medicine – I am not taking any daily medications, not even aspirin, and I do not use ointment or creams, though they might help my achy joints. Yet still in the morning I smell like medicine. Audrey first noted it and now I have become obsessed, as is my habit. There is no objective proof I can give you, but just talk to Audrey.

There we have it. The biggest thing I have learned all year.

I could end it there, but I suppose there are a few more things that need a little attention. I have found that bosses are bosses, and it is not so important to have a job you love as a boss who treats you as a member of a team and respects your input and the value that you bring to the company. I am still looking. Also in that vein, hoping for better prospects can lead me to ignoring my better judgment, and things that look too good to be true probably are. I also found that I would love to be an uncle. I do not dislike kids, I have a lot of fun talking to them, but I do not want to have the responsibility of dealing with them all the time. When the kids in class get annoying I can take comfort in the fact that they will soon be out of my hair. The last job related learning I have come across is that teaching English is something I never want to do again.

As to the rest it is not very enlightening or of much interest to anyone but me so I will keep this blog short. I am excited about getting back to the states for a while and I know we are not done with living overseas. I have no convenient or cohesive way to wrap up this blog so I will just stop writing. I cannot remember the rest anyways.

medicine

Nervous Nurse's Needles & The 2-for-1

2007-02-03T01:25:00.000-08:00

I really don't have an issue with needles. I don't mind getting my blood drawn, and don't get nauseated at the sight of a syringe. Most of that ease comes with the idea that the person wielding the needle is a trained professional. That being said . . .

Thursday morning I was scheduled for Hep A & Tetanus boosters. I think the nurses drew straws to see who would have to poke me as they huddled around the vials in a tight circle. The unlucky nurse, looking pale and nervous, brought in the two syringes. I did my best to alleviate her stress by pretending to be distracted by my cuticles or the chart of sport injuries on the wall. In other words, giving her room to do what she does without feeling the pressure of a foreigner's gaze.

I vaguely remember the last tetanus booster I received. It was after I had been attacked by the neighbor's German Shepherd. The sensation was that of being punched in the arm over and over and over and over and over . . . and then a constant ache that didn't subside for 24 hours. I was prepared for the discomfort figuring that memory usually exaggerates, so it’d be a minor annoyance this time around.

Well the “Hep A” booster hit my arm like a ton of bricks in slow motion. Nervous Nurse took a couple practice line-ups to my arm after wiping it with not one but three alcohol pads. I thought she must’ve been mistaken, that she was probably giving me the Tetanus shot first, because from the moment the shot began the discomfort slid down my arm and into my neck. It hurt much worse than my memories had suggested it would.

As she prepped for the second shot, I used an alcohol pad to massage my arm. Damn that hurt, I thought. She hit me with the second shot, which managed to feel just as uncomfortable. At this point, I figured that in her nervous state she had perhaps hit a nerve since my elbow was tingling. Nothing can be done now, so just grin and bear it.

Friday was Alex’s turn, and when he returned from the doctor’s office he said, “I have some bad news”. There had been some confusion (shocking to me as this was) during my vaccinations the previous morning. They had accidentally given me Hep B instead of A, so I needed to go in Saturday morning for the intended shot (free of charge, of course). I was initially quite annoyed because my arm had a welt the size of a golf ball, was fiercely hot, and painful to the touch. However, Dr. Park is a very gentle man and it wasn’t as though they had intended to give me a freebie vaccination.

The moral of the story? Shit happens, but even shit can have a silver lining (please don’t paint a mental picture of that). Dr. Park gave me some free meds to deal with the swelling and was very apologetic. Though the Hep B was a pain in the ass, that shot completed my vaccination series . . . and completed it for free.

more than green tea, though there was a lot of green tea.

2007-02-01T01:29:00.000-08:00

Whirlwind is the only word that could possibly describe our weekend in Boseong. Maybe it’s the short winter days or our dwindling time in Korea that made it feel so brief, maybe it was the haste with which we moved through this tourist town’s off-season offerings that turned the quiet streets into a blur. Whatever the case, Boseong was certainly a good time.

Boseong is roughly 1.5 hours from Gwangju by bus, and after a restless night, I was certainly glad for the allotted snooze time. However, when we entered the mountains near Boseong, it was difficult to nap. Of course the scenery was gorgeous as is the case whenever you wander into the more rural areas of this country, but my sudden alertness had more to do with the winding mountain road and the bus seeming to hop its way around corners. Even a year after our bus accident, I still get jittery. Seung-gyun’s sister picked us up from the station, and whisked us off to their family’s restaurant where we were treated to a lunch of roast duck eaten bulgogi style (lettuce wrap). Then, thoroughly stuffed, we hopped into the car for an afternoon of sight seeing.

The beaches at Boseong are limited in size, but we were assured that they saw their fair share of action come summertime. Our personal guides, told us about the girls in bikinis and summer love from their teenage years. I wandered to take pictures and breathe in the salty air being careful not to stumble over the constant stretch of ropes across the sand. Fishing boats anchored to shore, nets carefully folded, patiently waiting for warmer days and better fishing. We continued on noting strange odds and ends like a burned VCR/Radio manual, a potato lazing along the waterline, tiny crab carcasses. The men skipped rocks. It sounds unhurried, but Alex and I both wished we could’ve lingered longer on the shore. It was time to continue on.

Climbing from the foot of the mountains to the very top, the green tea bushes ripple in perfect rows resembling the back of a squatting dragon or the ominous climb of a tidal wave. Despite the recent harvest and the winter weather, the tiered rows still hinted at green. Winding down at a much gentler slope, a path offers a nice stroll that come summertime is probably packed to overflowing. On this particularly brisk but mild day, it was ours. We took pictures quickly and moved on.

The second green tea field we visited was a full-fledged tourist operation used to shoot TV shows and commercials and is bordered by restaurants and gift shops. Once up on the trails, it feels more isolated. As we walked the winding paths amongst the carefully manicured shrubbery, we indulged in vanilla-green tea ice cream and green tea cookies. Snow flurries came and went as did the sun, and the ice cream was still delicious even though I could barely feel my face.

That night we stayed with Ki-hyeok’s family that, lucky for us, were preparing for a wedding. His mother put together a thanksgiving-worthy feast, while his father plied us with jujube liquor. Later we took the quiet walk into town to meet with another friend who owns a PC Bang (internet café). Happy to have company, he took us out for beer and cow heart before we wandered sleepily back to Ki-hyeok’s house and a night in the country.

Sunday we found ourselves back at Seung-gyun’s house for lunch before bussing home. The weekend was a flash, but from what we’ve seen, Boseong is the best of all worlds. It’s a city, it’s a beach town, and is gracefully bordered by mountains and breath-taking tea fields. If only there were more days in a weekend. If only.

you know the drill . . . click the picture for visual stimulation.

life n' shit

2007-01-26T00:05:00.001-08:00

Friendship is a diverse endeavor; layer over layer of intensity, mercy, strength, and weakness. It has a rare quality in its fleeting or stamina. You will always remember. Years from now, when the name escapes your tongue, a sudden surge of nostalgia will reconstruct a memory, a glimmer of the eye, a subtle texture of differences, and regardless of the distance that’s grown between, you will always smile fondly.

Friendship is an education of the heart. It will teach you how far you will go, how willing you are to bend or break, and with what urgency you move through a particular time in life. I will have many moments in years to come that throw me back into the heart of my life in Korea. I owe the greatest debt of gratitude for rediscovering myself, and how much we all need each other, to my friend Ali.

Some of you have taken the time to read his website and comment on his ordeal. But there is more than what is posted on a page. Letter after letter, his face materializes in front of me.

He is young and full of hope, resilient even when his soul feels cold and his mind is numb. In his darkest hours he wonders if he’ll ever feel his mother’s arms around him, again. Yet even in that doubt, he will be the first to reassure his mother that he’s coming home. His thoughts bend painfully when he considers the life that has been stolen from him, but the future inspires him to continue with a smile. He pushes against the weight of his wrongful imprisonment with the strength of a thousand men, but does not push anyone to believe him unless their heart is in it. He assures me everyday when I look over his letters, his trial, and his story. He inspires me everyday; I do have a voice in this world that’s louder than the buildings crumbing under the weight of human indifference, war, and conceit.

Friendship . . . it binds us together to face the bitter elements of this world, so that even when we falter there will be a piece of our heart that keeps us on our feet.

I am willing to bend.
I am willing to break.

back at it

2007-01-17T23:03:00.000-08:00

I returned to martial arts this month, and lucky for me, my muscles have good memory. The first three weeks back have been relatively painless, and it's been nice to be back in the dojang working out with Alex. I look forward to having my butt kicked into trekking shape by the time March rolls around. Hopefully we'll make one last trip out to Damyang to hack away at some bamboo, too.

thank goodness for good friends

2007-01-05T22:30:00.000-08:00

With the help of our two closest friends, we negotiated with the landlady today for an additional month (our lease ends on February 3rd). It was rough-going for awhile. She was insisting we sign for an additional 6 months, sublet & give up our deposit ($3,000- unlikely story, sister), then it was to pay double rent for the last month. At this point a mild panic began to overtake me as I thought of all the extra stress that would come from having to live with Alex's boss. Alex may have actually lost his mind in that case.

Lucky for us, Seung-gyun and Ki-hyeok are well-versed in the art of haggling. Game faces on, calm, questioning the landlord very subtly until she came around to what they deemed a fair price. We will pay an additional ￦150,000 ($150) for our last month, which is more that reasonable compared to the first options.

With that mess out of our way, we divert our attention to selling furniture and the miscellaneous odds and ends we've acquired over the past couple years. If all goes well, in two months we'll be leaving with only backpacks and some extra coin in pocket.

DIY Haircut

2006-12-27T00:41:00.000-08:00

Actually, I handed the razor over to Alex and let him clip my hair to about 4 centimeters. It was a bit shocking to see the hair fall, but my life is a lot easier without the tangled, damaged mess I called hair before. Fresh start.

click on the pic for the results

eyes ahead

2006-12-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

In the time since Mom & Dad M.'s visit, nothing much has changed. Well the weather's changed a bit, but we've not been buried in snow like we were this time last year. It's a shame, because the temples look their most serene under thick white blankets as the monks wander the grounds in their warmest hanboks.

As we approach our last two months here, it's dawned on me that
1. we're approaching our last two months here and
2. we've a lot of things to think about and do in the next two months.

I had sort of forgotten the chore of relocating overseas; deciding what to send home, taking the time to properly thank and visit with friends and those who have become like family, to see and do the things we still want to and revisit the things we enjoy. Regardless of the fact that I cannot wait to see my family, Korea has become a part of me and I will miss it greatly. Even in the most trying of times, this country has still offered enough kindness, curiosity, and exuberance to make staying an amazing adventure. I didn't mention the food, but that's a given by this point, right?

While trying to come to terms with all the tasks that already lay before us, our eyes shift westward. That's right, westward and south. Vietnam. The country I've wanted to visit since 11 years old, and now the tickets are bought. It's like a dream. From March 15 to April 11, we'll be on the trails and rails of the "Land of Ascending Dragon". Needless to say, it's been hard to manage my daydreaming lately. I'm so easily distracted by travel books and planning.

That's about it for now. Please be sure to check out our Flickr photos, past and present.

Happy Holidays & much love from a2-in-gwangju!

No Chairs

2006-11-30T18:01:00.000-08:00

As most of you probably know, Mom & Dad M. were in Korea last week. It was an amazing week filled with walking, hiking and card playing. The first day they were here was the second to last day of the Gwangju Kimchi festival, which could not be missed for a visitor to Korea. So that first day they got an overload of the national dish. Something that Koreans believe is not palatable to Westerners, but the parents really enjoyed it. However, the festival was a bit more Kimchi than they were ready to handle. That day was also an introduction to Koreans and their desire to make sure one understands even if they cannot fully explain it. While I cannot speak Korean to communicate the vastness of Kimchi experience, I am able to read quite well and translate the main points. However, despite all my assurances to the volunteers, we were followed by no less than three volunteers who wanted to make sure that we got the full experience. They were very kind though and our parents enjoyed the conversation, even though it was light on the Kimchi translation. That first night was also a new experience for us; we attended the Sang Mu Catholic Church for evening service. After that we went out to a fine restaurant for some marinated pork ribs and Korean wine. The experience was out of the ordinary for sure in that most-all fine restaurants in Korea that serve traditional food have no chairs. Our parents were surprised, but game to try it all. By the end of the week I think they were really looking forward to some good chair sitting; I believe the most time we spent in chairs was on the bus. After their first night sleeping on the floor they also decided we needed a softer bed, and so they got an extra pad which makes mornings here that much more lazy.

They next days followed a similar pattern. Often we would get up around eight or nine, the parents probably at six or seven but out of consideration let us sleep in a bit. Korea is a late country, the bakery opens at ten and closes at three or four in the morning, bars serve until six or seven, and we have adjusted accordingly often going to bed after two and getting up between nine and ten. So for some time we felt almost jetlagged with the change of schedule. We would drink coffee and eat a little breakfast and decide what to do that day. More often than not, it included a long walk, which for us is they way we get around. The convenience of Korea makes walking the best option, and so this vacation was perhaps one of the healthiest they have taken, especially because Korean food is heavy on the vegetables and light on the meat. We spent our time in temples and parks, two of the most beautiful aspects of Korea, and with the fall colors they were made even more so. In the evening we would come back to the apartment to recuperate (nap), and get ready for more culinary adventures. And while not as adventurous as Justin they were certainly willing to try most anything and I believe they enjoyed it all. The highlight being a dinner on Mount Mu-deung that consisted of barely rice and mountain vegetables washed done with a mulled rice wine (Justin’s favorite if you read his blog.) It was also a first for us, eating on the mountain, and we are upset that it took so long because it was delicious. The night always ended with a round of card playing, Hearts being the game of choice.

As for other happenings, they are best talked about over a couple beers and seated in some comfortable chairs or even a sofa, forgive us if we take a seat on the floor out of habit. Also check out the pictures on flickr , especially for the colors.

It was great to be able to show our parents a little bit of our life and experience here. Now that they have gone our apartment seems very lonely, as we settle in for the last long haul until we see everyone else we have missed so much. You know who you are.

let the culling begin . . .

2006-11-29T01:01:00.000-08:00

Over the past week the bird flu came to Korea.

When we first arrived in Korea, the newspapers touted the "kimchi cure", which was essentially to eat kimchi. Some farmers even fed kimchi additives to their chickens/ducks and other livestock, companies began developing air conditioners that would emit an enzyme found in kimchi, and the new-age movement (called "Well-being" here) began supplying the masses with material meant to increase the purchase power of their "well-being" kimchi products.

At least kimchi's still delicious.

I'm the Devil!!!

2006-11-07T00:03:00.000-08:00

It’s like a neon light that works only when electricity flows correctly. It sits collecting dust until the night grows dark enough then quite suddenly it flickers to life. Its message is unmistakable, its clarity illuminating the darkest excuses with certainty. Because everyone wants an answer, and when it's too tedious to seek the knowledge solo, the light gives you a direction and cause. The sign says, “America and Americans Sucks”.

Last weekend while wading through questionable art and thinly veiled anti-American sentiment at the Gwangju Art Biennale, we came face to face with such a neon. This time it said more than “America Sucks” it said “The U.S.’s Imperial War”. Though it resided in the 5th gallery, and wasn’t traversed by too many art-seekers, the curious and angry entered.

I am and always will be a proponent of free speech. It is a right protected by my country’s constitution, and one that I take full advantage of in my own critiques on American politics and society (of which I’ve had aplenty - See the cautious patriot).

This particular exhibit was created and efforts spear-headed by an American from San Francisco. He aligned his political philosophies with communist China and guerrilla soldiers in Venezuela. He touted the failures of a democratic system while supporting China’s communist hero, Mao Zedong. Nevermind that an earlier exhibit showcased China's doctoring of photos to paint communism in a favorable light or that in a communist society his rights are not so protected or that he, in fact, lives in America, his criticism stood.

He claimed that Cuba was a slap in the face to American democracy because of its resoluteness and success. Alex wondered why then did so many Cubans jump on anything that would float and try to make their way to Florida? I wondered why communist North Korea was to be lauded when millions of its citizens die as The Great Leader uses monetary aid to import luxuries like alcohol and movies and explore nuclear arms. Why in communist Vietnam, the Vietnamese proudly take advantage of capitalism, and why censorship in communist China had not been addressed?

As I said, this man is free to think and say as he pleases, BUT I found the exhibit irresponsible in the way it depicted communism as the cure-all. It also demonized all Americans despite the fact that we are not all towing the “imperialist” line.

Anti-American sentiment continues to grow in S. Korea. It is seen in all forms. Some businesses reserve the right not to serve Americans, there are protests, and there are petitions to have us all removed from the country. While I’ve been assured that this is only a small slice of the Korean people, these days the attitude appears to be gaining momentum. I’ve been told by a friend that she would hate Americans if she hadn’t of met us, and I sometimes sense our friends testing the water to find out what kind of Americans we are by engaging us in questions about American policy. At least they ask, there are many that take a pro-communist exhibit as an excuse to hate us all.

Justin Was Here & Now . . .

2006-10-31T23:00:00.000-08:00

Well, it’s been quite some time since I last made an effort at this blog. It’s not because I haven’t wanted to, there are plenty of irons in the fire.

Justin’s visit was excellent. You can read his take on it at his homepage Justin’s Web. For Alex and I, it was a revitalizing experience being able to introduce someone to how our lives had changed so much in the past 1.5+ years. Alas, one week isn’t adequate time to do everything we wanted, but we made the best of it. a2’s favorite aspect of his stay was the culinary adventures that he was none to shy about. He ate everything we put in front of him, and we were able to experience some dishes we hadn’t. Sadly, he didn’t enjoy the silkworm larvae that I have become so fond of, but we both agreed whole-heartedly on the deep fried baby crabs. Delicious, shells and all.

Besides Korean cuisine, we dipped our toes into the insanity that is the drinking culture where Justin discovered the time-honored toast of “Bottom’s up!”, and a trip to a Noraebang (singing room). While he didn't choose to sing, I'm sure the entertainment of watching others was quite enough.

His vacation wound to a close on a rainy day, and a hasty trip to the airport. While in Seoul we managed to visit the touristy landmark of N Seoul Tower for views of the city at night as well as a traditional Irish pub called O’Kim’s where we were entertained by a lounge due from Bulgaria called “Vixen’s Duo”.

click on Justin for more pics

It was so nice to see a familiar and family face. The week afterward was quite an adjustment that has now found us counting the days until we see Alex's parents (16 days, 19 hours, 50 minutes).

i'll make this brief

2006-10-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

Justin's here.

South Korea has always had air raid drills.

North Korea has not, and probably will not, attack.

I do not have a hyperthyroid.

I will blog more after our visit to Seoul this weekend.

Check our Flickr page for the most recent pictures.

Bye now.

Jeju-do Pictures

2006-09-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, we recently took a trip to Korea's Emerald Isle, Jeju-do. We were hoping for some R & R on the beautiful beaches, and maybe some hiking on the volcano Hallasan, BUT the weather conspired against us.

We flew onto Jeju-do as a large typhoon was beginning to churn through the straits of Japan and Korea, so we didn't need suntan lotion or bathing suits. We were still able to see the island's most famous waterfall, Jeongbang, and enjoyed the sound of an angry sea on lava boulders. Click the link below for pictures.

For My Mom

2006-09-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

. . . and this time i didn't dye the bathroom any strange colors!

Love is . . .

2006-09-07T00:46:00.000-07:00

"More marriages might survive if the partners realized that sometimes the better comes after the worse."*
It was the ultimate convergence of being ill-equipped and ill-prepared that led to this moment. Sore muscles and joints creaking to a halt where we could only assume was not anywhere near the end of our trail, my parents’ voices in my head rattling off the checklist of a successful, or at least smart, adventurer. Yet here we were, in the pitch black of a forested mountainside on an unfamiliar trail with one working flashlight (one busted flashlight) and an uncertain number of miles left to go.

The courses on the northwestern face of Mt. Mudeung (무등산) are among the most beautiful but least traversed on the mountain. The early climb is a steep, wide, well-marked affair “paved” with large rocks and tree roots for footholds. The later paths, however, are not for the weak of heart or body. Rarely marked trails wind over jagged ravines of boulders, narrow ledges coupled with a termite-infested bridge, an overflowing spring muds the ground making footing hard-won on slippery moss, and bats fly out of the ground in sudden bursts that in absolute darkness should startle all but the dead.

As we ascended the first quarter of the trail by the sun’s dwindling influence, our bodies were already suffering from the initial endeavors of the day, which included not only our bicycling to Gwangju’s airport, but also the 12 miles through mountainous road to the trail’s head at Wonhyo-sa (원효사). Looming before us was another 6 miles of hiking, most to be untaken by flashlight. One flashlight.

There were so many moments we could’ve turned back, and spent all night in the warm comfort of a restaurant drinking soju and laughing at our ridiculous planning. We could’ve slept under the ivy canopies near the trailhead, or in the clearing marked with monk’s graves. We just kept moving, sometimes because of my stupid pride & other times from Alex's inability to stop. Whatever it may be, we're simply unyielding in the face of challenge.

We had been in the thick of it for nearly two hours with no ridgeline in sight. We had navigated a peaceful barley field by the light of moon then been re-submersed into the deep dark of the forest. Boulder mantles that resembled less the trail than an advertisement for Tylenol- where the weary climber would stop to take in the view while popping pain-killers and smiling at a hard-earned reward- had slowed us considerably. Trouble was, we weren’t at the end, and though there was certainly a view as well as jagged edges great for bone grinding below, there was not enough light to see either. I guess it’s best here to note the fact that Koreans leave it up to the individual to decide if you’re going to fall to your death from the many places the trail makes this possible. There are never rails, rarely guide ropes, and a great respect for Darwin. So with that comforting thought, and a moment to reassure one another, Alex and I were back on the trail.

It took us a bit over 3 hours, but when we hit the ridgeline clearing I thought I might cry. Gwangju City below us ablaze with neon, a sky of stars above, and not a sound but the wind and the crickets. We opened our bottle of Cabernet and laughed through the pain, waiting for the sunrise and glad to have each other to share it with.

*Doug Larson

Land of the Morning Calm

2006-09-04T05:56:00.000-07:00

for photographs of our most recent expedition, sunrise atop Mt. Mudeung, click above.

Busan: Part Two

2006-08-27T22:46:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Seomyeon and walked toward the Lotte Department Store. We saw a sign for a yeogwan and walked up. The décor was nice, the wood was dark and there were plants on the stairs, completely different from the last. The room was sumptuous and cool; it even had a water cooler with both hot and cold water available. We paid a much more reasonable price and got two nights, took showers and got ready for our next vacation.

Audrey had planned to get her hair cut at a salon in Busan and maybe even prepped for coloring, so I being the anal traveler that I am decided we should reconnoiter the area so as to make Monday’s trip as painless as possible. Also we wanted to see the Foreigners’ Street as our guidebook said it was an interesting sight. We decided to do that first and set off for the train. The walk to the train also included a practice run of the shopping we would do Monday, or I should say Audrey would do, in the underground arcade.

We got off the train and immediately the station told us something about what to expect. It was dark and quiet with a few stumbling drunk men wandering the dried blood colored brick halls. Outside the light was fading and the area was quiet. We saw a few South Asians walking out of a street, carrying bags of electronics equipment and figured that was the street. It was. I must say that I have been stared at long and hard in Korea before, but I have never felt those stares were anything more than curiosity. On this street I was the most out of place that I have been in Korea and that is saying a lot.

The heat of the day still lingered and prostitutes looked out from dim tearooms lazily fanning themselves, the odd Madam or skinny Russian man sat outside smoking. Few other people were on the street and those that were had the look of people who knew what they wanted and where to get it. We fit neither. Luckily, the street is short, but oddly, it abuts Busan’s Chinatown which while not ‘family-friendly’ is visited by families. And so, immediately upon passing the ill-disguised brothels, we found ourselves surrounded by playing kids. Over all it was an experience on which we felt it was not necessary to linger, and so continued on to the newer, more hip night spot in which Audrey’s hair salon was located.

Our trip to Busan was marked by opposites and Changsun Dong was another complete change from our most recent location. The subway station was crowded and there was music drifting down from the street. The sidewalks were crowded with people of all ages and in all styles of dress; our way was lit by the multi-hued glow of neon. We wandered about this maze for the rest of the evening, scouting the salon and window shopping, drinking coffee and engaging in a culinary event some foreigners had erroneously expressed as quintessentially Korean, shabu shabu, in fact it is a recent import of unclear origins most likely Vietnam by way of Japan. It must here be noted that Korean tastes, as through much of the world, run in fads with the difference from the West being the speed of saturation. Within a few months of a fad taking hold one can see it everywhere, and so shabu shabu can be seen on menus in restaurants specializing in such diverse foods as raw fish, pork ribs, intestines and even vegetarian dishes.

The next day we went back to Changsun Dong to get Audrey’s hair cut, they were not too keen on just bleaching her hair because it was difficult to convey to them the fact that she wanted to dye it herself at home. Audrey has since decided to get another haircut next month and bleach it at home, after which she will become a redhead. Anyway, she got the cut, which makes her look quite sexy as you can see in the recent pictures. My hair on the other hand is long and unkempt, downright shaggy.
After the cut we went shopping, Audrey found a couple of pieces she really enjoyed and bemoaned the lack of adequate shopping in our city. I had expressed an interest the night before in a glass of red wine and some pasta, we therefore set out to discover an Italian restaurant. We quickly happened upon two, the first was fine dining in an Italian Renaissance décor for which we felt underdressed; the second was more rustic Italian, at least from the outside. Inside it was less Tuscan Garden and more Olive Garden, served almost no true Italian dishes and had only wine spritzers. Very unsatisfying. We stopped by another of Korea’s newest fads: Japanese Fusion restaurants. We drank some Sake in wonderfully presentational bowls of crushed ice, and decided the Seomyeon district is where we will stay if we return to Busan. The rest of the trip passed uneventfully, and we returned home in time for our customary weekend meal of Sam Kyup Sal.

Busan: A Vacation in Two Parts

2006-08-27T22:41:00.000-07:00

To start with, it is ill advised to begin a trip with a Martin without a hearty breakfast or a good night’s sleep. I suppose the trip started with some bad omens. They continued at the bus station where the nine o’clock bus was sold out and we had to get on the ten twenty, seated separately, luckily the seats were individual so we sat alone. The bus trip also took a little longer than expected because of all the summer weekenders going to the beach, but we got in at a relatively good hour, hot, hungry and tired, and in Audrey’s case developing a stomachache. Also, our guidebook put us closer to the city than we actually arrived, so it took some time to get on the right track (Literally, as we almost got on the wrong train). My sense of direction while traveling is always wrong, but luckily it is consistently 180 degrees off, so Audrey just has to say, “Let’s go the opposite way.” And we usually end up in the right place.

We took a long and uncomfortable ride on three trains to get to our first destination: Haeundae Beach. It was about 3pm when we got to the neighborhood of the beach stepping into the boiling sun, even hotter, hungrier and more tired as well as doubled over with stomach pain. Not a good condition in which to search for a hotel. We wandered around and eventually settled on the place we first saw upon coming out of the subway stop. Audrey had said, “Let’s cut through this parking lot.” I on the other hand thought it would be better to walk around the corner. While it was possible to get to both ways, the alleyway that led to the access was hard to miss if we had gone her way, and since we went mine, we missed it entirely. The hotel was lacking in air conditioning, though it had a machine for it, dirty, small and too expensive. We decided on one night in the place, and tomorrow we would continue looking. The rest of the day passed uneventfully if a little testily.

In the evening we decided to try and have some fun at a familiar chain of bars: WA Bar. We drank a number of tall drafts and headed home deciding on a day at the beach and a new hotel the next day. The hour we decided on waking was 8:15.

While I believe we had set an alarm, I remember it was not necessary for me. The lack of air-conditioning and the foolishness of not drinking much water the day before resulted in a very poor night’s sleep and a wicked hangover in the morning. I was up at about eight and started getting ready. I filled a bottle with water from the sink and took a sip before noticing the sign recommending against such practices. I used my finger to brush my teeth, as we had neglected to bring toothbrushes seeing as most places provide them, and splashed some water on my face.

Audrey too was suffering and even though she was not altogether immobile it was tough to get her up (It seems we have a track record of bad hangovers on vacation, see Wando in August 2005). We changed into our swimsuits determined to spend a day at the beach despite everything. In the process of getting ready, the bathing suit Audrey brought broke; Korean women don’t generally have lats or much muscle of which to speak. It did not bode well for our day at the beach.

The Korean beach experience is vastly different from the American one, mainly in the fact that they do not generally prepare anything for the trip; sun umbrellas, beach blankets, food, inner tubes, anything that you need is available, especially fried chicken and beer, draught beer no less carried by delivery men and women up and down the beach all day. We ignored the stares and set up our own sun umbrella, unfolded our beach blanket and promptly fell asleep. The other anomaly in Korean beach going is the lack of swimsuits and towels. Either one wears a Speedo and has a 1x2 ft. sport towel, or one goes in the quick dry shorts and t-shirt that are the standard summer attire. Beaches here are set-up to be visited on the spur of the moment. It is very convenient, but we still like to do it our way. I swam in the ocean for about five minutes and by two we felt rested enough and hot enough to leave the beach. The night before we had gone out for dinner in the Seomyeon district, which seemed like a pretty good place to stay, so we got on the train, covered in sand and looking greasy. Thus ended our first vacation.

About Town

2006-07-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

A family musical. Fun for the whole family . . . "Who Shit On My Head?"

no limes

2006-07-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

Brains Snapshots:

1. When i think that paying $2.00 for three lemons is a reasonable price, does that mean i'm almost fully acclimated to S.K., or that i've lost my mind???

2. Limes do not exist here. i've shopped everywhere. i'm beginning to believe they never existed. When a recipe calls for lime juice, can i substitute it with lemon?

3. Avocados are $2.50/each. i don't care. i want an avocado.

4. How can i convince the bakeries not to sugar garlic bread?

5. Dill and deviled eggs. Either one makes me a master chef in Gwangju.

6. Lotte corrected its wine error. No more chilled reds. Small miracle.

7. Korean men are all or nothing. When we meet, they know i'm married. That doesn't stop the uncomfortable flirting and innuendo. Apparently, i'm an immoral, sex machine. Thanks reality television . . . thanks for putting whitetrash whores over the airwaves so that i may be catagorized with them. By "whitetrash whore" i mean Paris Hilton et al.

8. The mechanic across the street cannot fix cars. Unless fixing cars consists of revving the engine then hitting it with a hammer.

9. "Never cry, 'WOLF!'" is not a universal sentiment. At any given point in our neighborhood it sounds like a child is dying. Then they laugh, and i stop looking for carnage.

10. Koreans find my small conservation efforts humorous or exciting.
10A. "Silly, white girl brings her own grocery bags to the store. Doesn't she know we have plenty of plastic ones she could just throw away?"
10B. "She may be a silly, white girl, but she saves me money on plastic bags."

gimpy

2006-07-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

Alex is off crutches now. If this sentence alarms anyone, please comment and I'll allow my clutz of a husband to explain.

Hot. Wine. Cheese.

2006-07-13T04:23:00.000-07:00

I did not go outside today until 6:30 PM. By 9:00 AM it was eclipsing the 85 degree mark, and the projected high had been 85. I wanted nothing more than to stretch out on the cold, cold floor and nap . . . all day. However, because I do not even rest at night, this was an unlikely scenario. Instead I drank water and read a book whose pages had become soggy from the humidity. At noon I cooked, and it was painful. I imagined the sun a broiler set to high, and those unfortunate enough to be outside, were walking on the oven rack that was set too close. Then I pretended to read more, but all the while was being distracted by a thermometer that tells me "it all looks better in Celcius". It used to look better in Celcius, but now I'm beginning to really understand how that works, so 35 degrees doesn't fair so well psychologically anymore.

When I did leave it was, as i mentioned 6:30 PM, and I passed by some flowers that had just begun to bloom. They were now wilted and passing to a quick demise. I've learned to walk slower, because if I walk at a Chicago pace, I sweat profusely and it looks like I've completed a marathon only moments before. I can't do much about stares because of my foreignness, but I'd rather not give the starers something to linger about.

Lotte Mart now has all kinds of cheese. I almost cried. I haven't seen Feta in a year and a half. Oh, they also had swiss, havarti, white chedder . . . that's when I stopped looking, because again, do not give starers a reason to linger. Though those that know me understand my emotional relief at the sight of these cheeses, to an outsider I look vaguely disturbed. I realized this while petting the havarti.

Lotte now also offers a decent selection of wine. This is also comforting, yet perplexing for two reasons. Since they expanded the section through rennovations, a wine refridgerator was added. The subtlety of wine is lost on most Koreans, as they cannot seem to grasp foreign influences without Koreanizing them. It's true of food, fashion, entertainment, and beverage, at least here in Gwangju. Therefore, because all alchoholic beverages are preferred ice cold, red wine is chilled. I was given a nice bottle of chilled-to-near-freezing red wine for my birthday. After it thawed, it was delicious. If that is not interesting enough, ask me about the cognac.

The second reason for the perplexity is the cheese they have chosen to sell alongside the wine. While I fully agree with the choices of Camembert and Brie, I cannot understand the "Jalapeno Balls". The product is a large plastic bag filled with smaller plastic bags, each bag containing varied amounts of said balls that resemble rabbit turds in every way but color. I cannot, for the life of me, imagine eating this cheese with the suggested bottle of $45 wine. It seems more suited to a fraternity house, and even there the little turds would end up being flung like gunless bb's instead of consumed.

That is my day. Hot. Wine. Cheese.

the good news is. . .

2006-06-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

my leg/ankle is not broken, and in this wonderful country (aka South Korea), i saw an orthopedic surgeon and got x-rays for 10USD. if the meds don't help, i'll have to have a $10 MRI on Tuesday. no insurance necessary.

America's healthcare system blows.

bless the rain

2006-06-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

The rainy season (Jangma) seems to have commenced early this year, but it is welcome because summer came fast and hard, too. The sky was light at 5am, and as I sat trying to coax myself to sleep, shadows blotted out the apathetic sun. To my bleary eyes the change was sudden, and I moved to the window to witness the last of the light disappear.

In the early morning hours Gwangju begins its hustle, so if sleep has not come by five, i'm usually left without. In the light, the drunks are returning home with loud choruses of "Tae Han Min Guk" (damn the world cup), couples on every side begin their morning quarrels, babies sputter, old men hack and talk loudly on the streets and in stairwells, and I sit enveloped in their waking life.

But today, with the clouds, everything changes.

Gwangju's hustle becomes a hush. For reasons unbeknownst to me the rain is welcome, but not enjoyed. No longer can the brash symphony of dawn be heard, it is quiet as though the city cannot breath. The first stray drops became a constant trickle, I lay down with a grin. Bless the rain and the sleep in affords me.

Nagan Eupseong and Seonam Temple

2006-06-05T00:12:00.000-07:00

Nagan Eupseong’s (낙안읍성) location leaves little wonder as to why Korea was so difficult to unify. Situated in a low valley, Nagan Eupseong’s initial fortifications are the mountains that surround it. Steep, rock-faced and densely forested cones rise on all sides, and even in these modern times, the well-paved roads feel treacherous. Sharp turns and blind corners twist up and down the mountains’ sides, cleared only as far as the road needs to be wide, so upon entering the valley the expanse is awe-inspiring.

The valley’s floor is a patchwork of rice paddies, barley fields and hay that stretch from mountain to mountain. Farmers dot the landscape irrigating or walking on the narrow, earthen ridges between fields. The long road is straight, dividing the valley almost in half, until it turns into a small smash of restaurants, markets and specialty shops. You know, the place where tourists go.

Nagan Folk Village (as the tourism board calls it) is one of only a few remaining walled villages on the peninsula, and is designated a Historical Site by the Korean government. Originally an earthen-wall fortress built in 1393 (they actually used the term “adobe” which I’m certain isn’t a direct translation), it was reconstructed with stones in 1634 under the command of General Eem Gyeong-eup (임경읍). To this day, villagers hold festivals and ceremonies in his honor as he is Nagan’s protective spirit.

The wall rounds the village at a length of 1.5 kilometers, and is a great walk encompassing views of both the surrounding farmlands and the thatched roofs of the town. The crenations that authoritatively sit atop the gates still protect the enclave from the intrusion of modernization. Inside the wall are small alleys, traditional restaurants, historic buildings, ponds, gardens, and even games from centuries past. Alex and I both tried our feet at Neolddwigi, a seesaw game played mostly at the Lunar New Year. Women of the noble class would use Neoldwigi to peek over the walls of their homes since they were rarely allowed to leave.

After walking a portion of the village we made our out of the valley to Jogye-san (조계산), a picturesque mountain that is home to one of the oldest temples in our region. Seonam Temple (선암사) was founded in 529, and like much else in the country, has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times over its 1500-year life. It is regarded as the birthplace of the meditative and doctrinal sects of Korean Buddhism, and now is headquarters for the Daego sect. Fun fact: This sect of Buddhism allows monks to marry.

The walk to the temple is a gorgeous one lined with large trees, bridges, totems, carvings in the mountain face, and the sound of a rushing stream. The entire grounds lack a lot of the ornate and colorful architecture found in most temples around the country, but is no less beautiful. There are many gated doors, ponds, fountains, and flower gardens. The mountain itself is quiet, too, so it makes for a peaceful respite from the rush of city life.

click here to view more from Nagan & Seonam-sa

Seoul: Day 3

2006-05-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

It was a relatively slow start for us on Sunday. We’d been up by 6:00 AM the two previous days, and felt that an additional three hours were a luxury we’d take advantage of. After rolling ourselves out of bed, a quick shower, and cup of coffee, we were on the streets of Seoul once again.

Our first stop of the day was Gyeongdong Market, which is a labyrinth of a street market where vendors specialize in fruit, spices, roots, and medicinal herbs. It was a extraordinarily colorful walk through stalls of flowers, dried fruit and cooking essentials. The strong scent of licorice dominated the herb stalls, and a whole side alley was dedicated to garlic. Old women were lined up under little shelters peeling away, a gathering hill of garlic at their feet. It was beautiful sight. After a few purchases, we wandered a bit, Alex carefully escorting me past the sidewalks lined with dog meat sales. Very obvious carcasses sprawled out on tables. This area of the market was draped in tarps to avoid the controversy.

Like most of our trips, we decided an unnecessarily long walk was in order, so we made our way to the Nam-san. Nam-san is the famous local mountain that historically was the southern border of the city. Well, the city’s grown a bit, so now Nam-san squats in the center offering views of the ever-expanding landscape. Apparently, due to the clear skies, Nam-san was on everyone’s to do list. The crowds grew thicker as we made our way toward the mountain’s main attraction, a cable car ride to Seoul Tower. After Alex assessed our wait, we decided to move on because views are nice, but not 3-hours-nice. We could see plenty where we stood, and it looked like a city.

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the weather, and trying to shake my shopping bug. Alex survived 2 markets and a mall, and I only managed one purchase. By the time the day was finished we were tired of walking, tired of crowds, tired of Seoul . . . it was time to go home.

Seoul Weekend

Seoul: Saturday Night

2006-05-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

Flickr Meet!click on photo for larger view

I met Stephen, far left, through Flickr.com - the website where you view a2's pics. He's lived in Seoul for 3 years, and we met on Saturday night to spin yarns over our experiences living in Korea. He also introduced us to Lucy, and Neal and Jenny (middle). We enjoyed the luxury of an evening with cocktails, easy conversation (no translation required), and were none too surprised to discover how different our experiences are from those of Seoulites. It was a nice night under a clearning sky with a manhattan in hand.

DMZ

2006-05-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

Torrential yet shy of monsoon, that’s where I’d place the rain we awoke to. If it were a Saturday morning in Gwangju, we could laze in bed with books and hot coffee. Alas, we had plans, and those plans required us to be up at 6:00 AM regardless of foreseeable misery.

The drinks we’d enjoyed the previous night at Woodstock were reminding us that we had enjoyed drinks the previous night at Woodstock, so Alex went off in search of water and carbs to kick start our day while I poured (no pun intended) over maps and guidebooks. Our tour company picked us up from the hotel, and by 8:00 we began our bouncy journey into the countryside cradling the 38th parallel.

The first stop on the tour is the farthest north one can travel in the western corridor before requiring military permission, Imjin-gak Park. The Imjin River, which borders North Korea a few miles to the west, winds peacefully around the small park though draped with nets to discourage underwater infiltrations by spies and assassins. The pain of separation is palpable here in the family graffiti that climbs a barbed-wire fence at the end of the Freedom Bridge. Remnants of war linger beside present efforts for reunification. Next to a newly built train bridge, which abruptly ends at the opposite shore, stand the cement support pillars of a vehicular bridge bombed during the conflict. The barbed wire and netting, the bridge’s end and bridges bombed, and the young soldiers standing post with their K1 rifles were hefty reminders that all is not said and done here. Not by a long shot.

After clearing a checkpoint where an armed soldier enters the bus to check every passport, the bus driver had his skills tested on a bridge scattered with roadblocks. As the bus wove back and forth the vegetation grew taller and taller, and it was here we learned that no one enters the brush. Hundreds of thousands of landmines were scattered by aircraft through the entire area as a protective provision, and now undisturbed they occasionally kill ormaim a passing deer while in the past farmers had died. We saw explosives arches built over roads to be detonated should a Northern advance commence, and it was here, under the thick bamboo growth that national pain and pride coexist in the beaded sweat of South Korean military police. Many of the enlisted consider it a great honor to serve in the DMZ, some even moved to tears. While the world at the mention of North Korea has visions of oppression and evil, the South sees the suffering of countrymen and families. The dividing lines are not simply an ideology they are an actuality that keep mothers from their children, brothers from brothers, husbands from wives.

In the same sense, however, the threat is real and the south under no circumstance will allow for reunification under dictatorship. South Korean understanding, appreciation and use of democracy has been a re-education for this American girl, I can tell you that. Based on my experiences, observations, and study here, I can tell you that should war come to this peninsula, again, that the seas on all sides will run red. It would be like nothing the world has ever seen, and I would be proud to fight alongside them.

The third infiltration tunnel was discovered in 1974 as it entered the southern half of the DMZ. Should the tunnel have reached completion, a point just north of Seoul, an estimated 30,000 armed men per hour could have made their way into the capitol. As we descended the 73 meters below ground, the air became dank and musty. The faint sound of trickling water echoed off the encroaching walls, and our hardhats scraped the ceiling’s jagged rocks. On all sides, controlled blasts had inched the tunnel forward, and those points were now outlined in yellow spray paint. About a third of a mile into the tunnel a military guardpost ends your excursion because you are now standing almost directly below the actual demarcation line.

There are many interesting details about the tunnel from the angle it was dug at, to the painted walls and the north’s insistence that it was dug by the south. If these details are of interest, leave me a comment and I’ll elaborate further.

After the tunnel we were taken to the Dora Observation Post, where you can view North Korea and snaps some photos if you like (from one step behind a specified line, of course, this is a military installation). Our final stop was the Dorasan Train Station, where one day the south hopes to extend it’s tracks through the north and become a transcontinental railway. It’s an interesting yet touristy stop, but Alex and I did get our passports stamped to prove we’d come so far.

Maybe one day we’ll return and take that train to Pyeongyang, but for now I'd settle for some dry socks and a little peace.

DMZ

photographs of tunnel and soldier staredown courtesy of Korean tourism pages.

Seoul: Day 1

2006-05-11T04:05:00.000-07:00

We couldn’t have asked for shittier weather, the clouds gathering overhead as our bus pulled into the terminal. Initially, we hadn’t noticed the disappearing sun as we were still in shock after seeing a Walmart. We hadn’t slept too much the night before, and were doped up on caffeine, but if I was going to hallucinate I’d hope it to be more imaginative than a Walmart. Because while I respect bargain-shopping, I cannot respect an institution that will sell guns, but allows its pharmacists to refuse birth control prescriptions (both presumably based on religious beliefs). Anyway, that’s a tangent for another time.

Meanwhile, back in Seoul . . . a2 had rediscovered that some subways still have more than one track, and navigated to our first stop. Our hotel was pretty disappointing on first glance, not that hotels in Korea are prized for appearance. You’ll be consistently disappointed if looking for a shiny, welcoming exterior. Generally, however, we don’t see mold on the ceilings, and lobbies lack that special smell that comes from an attendant not showering for a few days. Beggars can’t be choosers, though. A lesson I was taught early in life, so for the price it was tolerable.

We had limited sunshine, and one thing on our agenda. Well, two things if you count the rumble in our bellies. Off we went onto the sidewalks of Seoul in search of grub. One thing that you never have to search for in the city of Gwangju is a restaurant. The state of Jeollanamdo, in fact, is known for its food and love of. We often joke that no one here has heard of a business plan (ahem, nerdy joke), because the same restaurants open next to one another, sometimes in stretches of 4 or more. If you want samgyopsal, one block will have at least three options. We’ve been known to stand out front to “eenie-meenie-minie-moe”. Not kidding.

In Seoul we hadn’t seen a kimbap house for blocks, and were beginning to get nervous. In a city of how many million? you’d think there’d be one every 5 feet. We finally found a nice little Guk-Su place, and filled our bellies with fish, kimchi, and noodles. Now for some culture.

A few blocks walk more and a wall enclosing some of the largest trees we’ve seen in Korea loomed before us. This must be the place, Changgyeong-gung (“Palace of Bright Rejoicing”). Built in 1104 during the Goryeo Dynasty, Changgyeong-gung was a summer palace. That’s right screw your summer home. Korean Kings, specifically Sukjong, knew how to live. The more unique attributes of my summer palace include Ockcheon-gyo (“Jade Stream Bridge”), which is a stone bridge built in 1483. It’s twin-supports and beast carvings are interesting enough, but it’s also the oldest bridge of this type in the city. The palace is also aligned east-west which is the orientation of the Goryeo Dynasty, while all other palaces in Seoul favor the Joseon orientation of north-south. Too much info???

a2 made the rounds to see the one of the thrones used by the last King of Korea, and to enjoy the vast (and I do mean vast) gardens enclosed within the walls. Peaceful by today’s standards, it was undoubtedly a paradise during the height of its use. A wonderful escape from the haste of modern Korea, we were also treated to traditional performances including court dances and folk drumming/dancing. It was a great afternoon, and we succeeded in staving off the rain for the time being.

We capped off our first day in Seoul with meal of hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, and a bottle of wine. Oh the things we’d taken for granted. Hummus never tasted so good! Afterwards we ventured into a bar named “Woodstock” which wore a pretty convincing 60’s face, and entertained with live musicians doing their best blues impressions. Ross would love this joint. After a few cocktails, we made our way back to the hotel just as the rain began to moisten the pavement.

Changgyeong-gung Photographs

weekend recap . . . weekend preview

2006-05-04T02:18:00.000-07:00

Being landlocked is a challenge. I think, speaking as a Michigander, there is truly something in the water. My family rarely travels where open expanses of water cannot be seen. It has an unshakeable need to be near water and to feel the weather coming off the waves; it’s an unfathomable connection with the nature of water. I know I’m a child of the Pecott/Neumann families, but I am also part Lake Michigan. As I was saying, Gwangju has been difficult.

Last weekend, Alex and I took a two hour bus to the coastal fishing city of Mokpo (목포). Mt. Yudal (유달산) rises humbly to the west of the old city. The old section still bustles with the fishing trade, creatures of all variety hung like angels from fences and wooden blanks, or laid flat on fishing nets to be preserved by the sun and salt. If they can catch it, they can dry it, or cut it fresh for your immediate consumption. What’s your pleasure? The main market is a crowd of purveyors and buyers, the only immediate difference being the wading boots. While outside of the markets, the harborside street is a wash of drying carcasses, fishing nets, boots, gloves, and stern, weathered faces. It isn’t glamorous, but it's certainly alive (except for the fish).

Further to the east a new city is cropping up beside its own humble Mt. Ibansan (이반산). It’s still Mokpo, but the more modern and touristy side, complete with a boardwalk, it’s own shopping centers, and special parks to accomadate the flood of families moving into recently built apartments. Close to many attractions, including its cultural area of museums and the famed Gatbawi Rocks, it’s a cleaner version of the hard life lived in the markets only a few miles away. The boardwalk was beautiful and the streets wide, yet it lacked the character of the old city.

Alex and I stayed our night in a hotel near the international ferry terminals and dried fish markets. We spent our first day taking in the Maritime Museum, and walking the town. The following day we managed to hike a great deal of Mt. Yudal to catch the horizon full of cargo ships and Admiral Yi’s munitions island. It was a short trip, but the part of me that is Lake Michigan felt revived.

Highlight: Drinking a Budweiser in a bar called the Texas Moon while subjecting the Koreans to Flogging Molly’s “Drunken Lullabies”. The Budweiser was for Ross. The music was for Justin.
Midlight: Realizing that our minute Korean skills are actually making it easier to travel.
Lowlight: Deciding to take the train instead of the bus home. Saying it sucked is an understatement.

This coming weekend, we leave for our first visit to Seoul. On the agenda: Changdeok-gung (창덕궁 "Palace of Illustrious Virtue"), built from 1405-1412 then burned to the ground by the Japanese only to be reconstructed to its former glory by 1610. The last Korean royal family member died here in 1989. It’s extremely private and includes a 78-acre woodland on its grounds. We will also visit Gyeongbok-gung (경복궁 "Palace of Shining Happiness") which shares a similar history with Changdeok-gung (built, burned, rebuilt). Most structures on these grounds, which sit next to Korea’s Blue House, are relatively new and not nearly as beguiling as those of Changdeok-gung. Still, we’re told, it’s worth the visit.

Saturday (Alex’s Birthday!!!) we will be touring the DMZ, 3rd infiltration tunnel, and other war-related places along the 38th parallel. We’ll possibly spend some time at the War Memorial Museum, as well. Beyond these certainities, we have kept our schedule open to meet with friends, and choose our own adventure.

click on the scary scarecrow for more Mokpo pics

weekend recap . . . weekend preview

2006-04-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

We may have been dancing monkeys, but we were good dancing monkeys. As members of the Sangmu Kumdo Academy's Demonstration Team, we are most often called on to demonstrate combat situations wherein showing the practicality of what we're taught. Of course there are embellishments, like the unnecessary kicks, spins, and cartwheels, and honestly it’s sometimes like feeding children creamed-corn, but when the masses demand the “airplane approach”, it’s what’s done. In the end we were applauded and “whooped”, receiving rave reviews from young and old alike. Master Lee was quite pleased, and we were pleased it was over (if only to get our lives back).

Ah yes, living. It’s what we’ve promised ourselves to do this year. Since Alex was shackled to his former job, we could not escape the limits of Gwangju as often as we would have liked. This year is shaping up quite differently.

This weekend is the beginning of our quest to see the wonders of the Korean peninsula. On the agenda Mokpo (목포), this state’s major port city, and a historic strategic hold during warring times (most notably, the Imjin Wars 1592 & 1597). Unimaginably devastating wars where Japan’s main objective was to plunder, in the end were won thanks to Korea’s most revered Naval Commander, Admiral Yi. The country honors him for outmaneuvering and out-thinking the invaders with several monuments and statues scattered around the country, but there are reminders of him & the wars throughout most of Mokpo and it’s outlaying islands. I’m obviously my father’s daughter, as I can’t wait to learn more about the wars and Admiral Yi Sun-shin.

Also on our agenda is a visit to Hong-do (홍도,"Red Island",), National Maritime Museum, Yudal-san Park, and a Czech Beer Bar. Yes, beer is on the agenda.

Article: Imjin War diaries Are Memorial of Invasions For Koreans

Article: Admiral Yi Sun-Shin and the Turtle Boat

Mokpo City Homepage

The Foreigner Problem: Part I

2006-04-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

I woke up today wondering why we’re still here. My mind raced with people, places, commitments, and most of all, time. The ever-elusive time, those spare days that Alex and I had hoped to save for travel around the peninsula. The hours in the weekend we wanted to explore Gwangju, or maybe, see a movie. The afternoons I wished to be out with my camera, but instead I’m shoulder deep in dictionaries and Korean newspapers in my continuing quest for the language. The late nights of martial arts that, once in awhile, we would prefer to spend over a quiet dinner. “Why are we still here?”, is the question that nagged me this morning as we woke up to bike to the immigration office.

Riding a bike is a meditative thing, especially in Gwangju. Small streets wind out onto the modern city routes between squat, square buildings. These small structures conceal cars from pedestrians, and vice-versa making for close calls, or calls you don’t want to get. Sidewalks are small if they exist at all, and when they do, are littered with young and old alike unaware of others around them. The old woman who is permanently bent at the waist from years of laboring under Japanese oppression and the rebuilding afterwards, I can forgive. The young kids jockeying for a better glimpse of their reflection to coif their hair, I cannot. I will ring my tiny bell, slow a bit, but then I leave it in the hands of the Gods of Pedestrian Warfare. Are there such Gods? I no longer doubt. As I was saying, biking is quite meditative. You're safety depends on you thinking of nothing else. All your focus pours into gear changes, traffic, and those damn hills.

Sweat beads on my forehead as we turn into Immigration’s parking lot. Two men twist around out of curiosity as we slow to a stop. They smoke, their eyes following us to the doors of office before they resume their conversation. When we return so does their curiosity, and they carefully pace towards us as we unlock our bikes. I liken it to an inquisitiveness one has when investigating an unusual object they randomly spot on the ground. No real emotion, just a need to place what one's seeing. Hopping on our bikes and heading out, the men pace back to the sidewalk they were previously holding down. Maybe with curiosity fulfilled, maybe not.

The reason for mentally noting all of their interest is not just because I’m a freak, it’s because I need to understand. The stares, the assumptions, the overwhelming curiosity that leads old men to stand with their faces 5 inches from mine. I’d like to know why the grocery ladies giggle a bit, and why some now, smile affectionately. Or why old women with a twinkle in their eye sometimes pat my arm and give a hefty laugh, while young women walk wide around me like I’m a pitbull foaming at the mouth . . . . .

Puffing my way up the large hill to “Gold Countryville”, the pieces of what once seemed a complex puzzle started to nestle together. I am now faced with “The Foreigner Problem”, and how we'd changed so much by not being a part of it.

TO BE CONTINUED.

One Year On

2006-04-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

So one year has come and gone and here we are still in Korea. This past year has been tumultuous, to say the least. Underwater trees, busted eardrums, vomiting in the park from food sickness or too much sun, or let’s just say it: alcohol. And that was only one trip. I suppose this retrospective should be something along the lines of “Things I’ve Learned” or maybe “What to Do and What not to Do in Korea” or some equally inane clichéd thing, no offense to those who enjoy those kinds of lists, I’m just not that way, generally, I hope. So then what is this going to be? Really short.

When I came to Korea I expected the language to come rather easy, I suppose if I had studied as hard the first five months as I did from August, I would have a much better handle on it. I know enough to get around, but there is a lot more, as if that isn’t obvious. My time at the place where I was employed was as turbulent as this year, and in some way could have been the cause of all the chaos. But that is hopefully water under the bridge.

We have certainly been grateful for all the assistance we have received in the past year and all the kindness, though some assistance was less appreciated, such as showing us how to have a night out in Korea. For my part I have really enjoyed the trips we have taken away from the city, especially to Damyang, and we plan on taking many more this year, as our taste for travel was piqued by the trip to Japan. Top on the list is Seoul, hopefully at the beginning of next month.

Other things that have been invaluable are Kumdo and Sam Kyeop Sal. It is amazing how easily a meal can relax us these days. Though Kumdo has been a wonderful experience over the past year, it has become somewhat of a drain on our time and energy. I guess I’m not as young as I used to be and five to seven days a week has become just too much. This new time will give us the opportunity to really see this country.

Well this year has been a lesson learned and hopefully will not be repeated. Here’s to a new year and a new view of Korea.

on current American affairs . . .

2006-03-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

Please see the cautious patriot for more information.

Fukuoka's Marine World Aquarium

2006-03-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

click here for more photos.

Back By Popular Demand . . .

2006-03-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

I've had several email requests for more Korean recipes, so here you go . . .

The following is a tasty fish marinade that was written with albacore tuna in mind, but I've had great success applying it to pollock which is the most widely available fish in Korea. Based on the tastiness of the outcome (장말 맛있었어요! Chongmal mashissossoyo! It was delicious!), I think this would marinate any whitefish adequately.

INGREDIENTS:
4 (4 ounce) albacore tuna steaks
6 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 green onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Rub the albacore steaks with 4 tablespoons sugar. Allow to sit 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
3. In a shallow bowl, mix the remaining sugar, toasted sesame seeds, green onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil,
salt, and pepper. Place the albacore steaks in the mixture, and marinate 2 hours in the refrigerator.
4. Preheat the oven broiler.
5. Discard marinade, and place the albacore steaks on a baking sheet. Broil to desired doneness in the preheated oven.

This is a seriously tasty dish. With pollack it ends up tasting almost like smoked fish (like we used to get on Beaver Island). Wow! Enjoy.

Turning Korean

2006-03-07T02:23:00.000-08:00

Korean girl haircut (taken with our cellphone)

To The 2nd Degree

2006-02-27T20:42:00.000-08:00

Waking up at 6:00 AM is not on my list of things to do on a regular basis. Call it "lazy"- call it the well-thought out reasoning of a rational mind- but 6:00 AM is way too early. Regardless of my wants, the alarm rolled me out of bed at the buttcrack of dawn to tackle the tasks of (A) waking my sleeps-like-the-dead husband, and (B) prepare for what was certain to be a mentally draining day.

warming up (not at test)

One of the most difficult aspects of testing in Kumdo in Korea, is that we often have absolutely no clue as to what's going on. While the other students know the drill, not to mention speak the language, we are tossed to the wind and forced to trust our wits, our minor grasp of the language, and powers of improvisation/observation. Ice that cake with our being spectacles simply by being a minority, and you too, can feel the eyes canvassing your every step.

As we entered the vast auditorium, we became undeniably visible as the tallest, whitest people. While the students at our school are accustomed to our presence and appearance, most of the rest of Gwangju is not. Even the cashiers at Emart, who have seen me for a year now, still gape, whisper to one another, and stare into my shopping cart. It is to be expected that there will be double-takes and pointing. Trying our best to blend in, we kept our eyes open for points of interest that would help us through the test. Lucky for us, age was one our side placing us in the last group to take the 2nd degree tests.

After sitting patiently, able to observe the etiquette and method of the test, we were finally ushered to the line for the review of our forms. The table judges, the ones actually scoring us, asked that I be placed in the center between Alex and another student on the floor. One of these judges kept looking to me and motioning me to the center, while the line judge kept pushing me back behind Alex. After a bit of this, I completed my first form hidden behind Alex. The table judge again motioned for me to move to the center. As I moved, the line judge grabbed my sleeve and started to pull be back to my previous position behind Alex. A whole test this way may become unbearable, so I motioned for the line judge to look up which he did not. After he repositioned me behind Alex, I followed the table judges' instruction to move center. Before my position could be changed, yet again, the next form had begun. I finished out my forms in the center position after some words were finally exchanged between the judges.

The rest of the test went quite similarly to this, the line judges not communicating with the table judges about what they wanted from us. Alex and I were the only source of contention among the judges, and their indecision was undoubtedly blamed on us being foreigners. We simply can't resist being a freakshow. Regardless of the minor disruptions, the test moved on with the both of us doing extremely well. We received a very animated thumbs up from Jae-Oong on several occasions. Alex will complain about mistakes in his forms, and I'll lament about my horrible first attempt at cutting, but we both passed and with a whole lot more energy and enthusiasm than many of the other students.

Our competitiveness makes us a force to be reckoned with, and Master Lee's faith in us is a constant source of motivation. I will never forget the bamboo cutting portion of my test. I botched the first cut horribly. As a woman I had only to cut once, but as they brought out a second limb of bamboo Master Lee said, "Make her cut twice." He knew I could do it, and so I did. It's these small moments that will always stay with me. Even moreso than hearing my name, "OH-DU-RI", called to accept an award for highest scored test.

Forms reviewed during test: 5
Push-ups required: 30
Bamboo cuts completed/attempted: 4/5
Glaze of confusion in announcer's eyes after calling a western WOMAN for an award: Priceless

최우수상 (The Highest Award)

Kumdo Mafia

2006-02-21T02:26:00.000-08:00

L-R: Dong-Gyun, Moon-Suk, Master Lee, Alex, Audrey, Min-Ho
click on picture to see larger.
MORE pictures from our day in Damyang

Bamboo Killahs: Video #2

2006-02-21T01:23:00.000-08:00

Alex 대나무 배기

i apologize for the poor quality, but this video was taken using a digital still camera. we really don't look like melting blobs in person..

Bamboo Killahs: Video #1

2006-02-21T01:16:00.000-08:00

Audrey 대나무 베기

if you have problems viewing these videos, please post a comment or use the email links to the right to let us know. thanks for watching!

eeny, meeny, miney, moe . . .

2006-02-11T22:03:00.000-08:00

which chingums to Damyang go?

This photo was taken this morning while we prepared for our trip to Damyang to cut bamboo. Master Lee, in the blue hat, is determining which chingums (swords) will best suit each student. Next Sunday will be our third trip, and will hopefully yield some "action shots".

Spacious Living

2006-02-05T04:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday a2 began our search for a new apartment to go with the new job and our new year in Korea. Today we began moving in. That's right, the highly efficient Koreans leave the bullshit for those with the time, and get business taken care of. Needless to say, with only two weeks until we HAVE to move out, this fast find is a relief.

click poopy-cute for a glimpse @ a2's new digs

We want to give a shout-out to our friend Na-Yeong who acted as our translator. Without her help, apartment hunting would've been excruciating!

설날

2006-01-29T03:44:00.000-08:00

Happy *Lunar* New Year!

perfect day

2006-01-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

The late afternoon sun stretches its warm hands over the small city of Damyang, 22km north of Gwangju. On the outskirts of this, the Bamboo Capitol" of South Korea, in the midst of a bamboo harvesting yard stand KumDo students poised to begin the task of cutting newly lumbered bamboo. Eloquently capturing the day's sentiment, Alex says, "This is why I came to Korea".

The afternoon passes with Master Lee's guidance and our practice. The sun changing the washed out hues of wintered fields to golden orange, pushing shadows long between the mountains. The hush of light wind is broken by the random sound of sword on bamboo, and as we finish our day in the fields of Damyang, we can only hope it will not be the last.

Before returning to Gwangju, Master Lee takes his students and family to one of Damyang's famous hideaways for a meal of Guk-Su (fresh noodles in broth). Full and happy, we watch the sun dip behind the mountains and cannot imagine being anywhere else in the world.

Welcome to Damyang

I'm an ass.

2006-01-22T07:03:00.000-08:00

frozen day's photographs
alex and i hiked to the "almost top" of Mudeungsan to wish my parents a wonderful belated anniversary. I forgot to write/call/be a good daughter on January 12. i hope that my frozen hands are a clear expression of my guilt.

dull day

2006-01-19T22:03:00.000-08:00

an overcast day's photography

Suicide

2006-01-17T22:03:00.000-08:00

Our Tetra, Spam, couldn't take the pressure of small apartment living anymore. Last week he jumped from the tank to his death, causing feelings of guilt and depression among his Tetra brethran. The remaining pod, Scurvy and Tripod, were fine after ten seconds elapsed and I fed them. Spam was flushed in a small service attended by me.

FINALLY

2006-01-09T20:03:00.000-08:00

Today I started my first Korean language class. Looks like we'll have to stay another year now.

The class consists of 3 Americans, 2 Australians, 1 Canadian, 1 Scotsman, and 1 Russian. The first class was a unique experience. Our teacher is bilingual in, not English/Korean, but Chinese/Korean. She would get confused and start speaking Chinese which I found thoroughly interesting, but many did not.

I knew all of the material being covered today, so I helped some other students make sense of the alphabet. I was glad to be able to help, but was still reserved as there is always an undercurrent of anti-American sentiment among other foreigners.

Watch out Korea! I'm gaining the momentum of knowledge.

West Coast

2006-01-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

West Coast is the name of the bar where A2 rang in 2006. Written in Hangul it looks like this "웨코" and is pronounced like this "Weh-Koh". As in Waco (TX), a religious cult, and a crazy man named Koresh.

I hope this is not an omen.

Turning 30

2005-12-28T20:03:00.000-08:00

"The hell you're turning 30!" <-What I imagine my mother assertively telling the computer after seeing the blog title. Rest assured dear Marilynn, your little girl will be turning thirty on January 1, 2006. I see that you've all started counting on your fingers or scribbled out some simple subtraction on scrap paper. Most of you know (especially, my sweet mother) that I was born into this world in May of 1977, and am therefore, technically 28. However, you do not know Korean birthday math.

When a child is born in Korea, the first year of development where a parent boasts a child's age in months is completely forgone. No one does it, and thank the lord for it. People using months instead of years to describe a child's age after 11 months can spit-shine by butt. Is your child really 36 months?! ---- Can you divide by 12?

In Korea, at birth, a child is one (1). The only time a child's age is mentioned in anything but a year is at the doctor's office and the 100-Day Celebration. The 100-Day Celebration is the day a child is no longer considered vulnerable, and is ready to venture outdoors. It's also an excuse to throw a big party (or two), and get expensive gifts. Just imagine a very late baby shower. Moving on . . .

The grand-daddy of birthday celebrations is also the largest holiday on the Korean Calender, what the world knows as New Years' Day. There's a whole mess of information concerning the government moving the celebration away from the Lunar New Year when it was historically celebrated. Long story short, Angry People + Nervous Government= 2 National Holidays, one for the solar calender and one for the lunar. It is on New Years' Day (whichever you celebrate) that all Koreans add one year to their age. Large family gatherings are the norm as are trips to the east coast to see the sunrise. Much respect is paid to the family's elders, and their are plenty of foods and gifts.

There are no bowl games.

So there it is. By Korean birthday math, I am currently 29 years old. In four days' time I will be 30. It could be the short notice or loss of a year, but I'm not too apprehensive about turning thirty. Maybe the second time around I will be.

Merry Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukah, Soltice, etc., etc. (and so on and so forth)

2005-12-25T03:03:00.000-08:00

lub, a2

Christmas Eve

2005-12-24T03:03:00.000-08:00

there's a one present minimum:

his muse: a fat man's sci-fi

the card . . . *sigh*

this IS my Xmas Joy.

Hanji: a traditional Korean art. Real cool gift, don't let my face confuse you. I'm camera-unpleasant (like camera-shy but with disdain).

Happy Holidays Bill O'Reilly!

2005-12-24T01:16:00.000-08:00

P.S. If you do not find this picture cute, you have no soul.

Gamers

2005-12-20T08:14:00.000-08:00

Alex and I shared a fun weekend out with Na-Yeong. We took her bowling for the first time (she's a natural), ate a kickass lunch of Dwaegi-Kalbi (marinated pork ribs), and then she took us to a game room. A game room is an establishment where you "rent" your table. Then the customers choose board games from a game menu. Losers suffer a penalty which is determined by their friends. While at the room, 2 people had to approach Alex as punishment (if they only knew). One had to shake his hand, the other had to take a photograph with him. It was humorous and cute.

Alex as "Jenga Master"

We're preparing for the coming holiday. We appreciate all the thoughtful packages sent by family and friends. We have a substansial booty to open come Xmas morning. As suggested by our "Culture Shock" book, we are starting some new traditions including "The Evil Santa", and "The Christmas Carrot". More details and worthwhile pictures to come. Please remember to visit our Flickr photostream for pictures.

winter storm

2005-12-04T04:43:00.000-08:00

Click the secluded pagoda for more Gwangju blizzard pics.

snow-love

2005-12-04T04:35:00.000-08:00

closing in

2005-12-03T09:54:00.000-08:00

It's been two weeks since the bus accident that took us out of the national tournament. All of us still ache from the anti-climactic ending that comes from smashing into a cabbage truck, but so be it. Instead of resting on our laurels, we have forged ahead through another test.

We have passed the final 1st Dan test before our next degree examination. Master Lee, connections willing, will be testing a2 for our 2nd Dan in January. More to come . . .

fun fact

2005-11-28T16:27:00.000-08:00

As of Sunday, November 27, Alex and I have eaten the Korean delicacy of pig intestines twice. . . and that would be two times too many. Let me give you this detail, it's texture is a bit furry. Chew on that.

Turkeys

2005-11-25T02:38:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

From l-r: Justin, 23 lb. turkey, Ross, Ross' beer

thanks for the pics Mom & Dad.

no trophies

2005-11-23T23:49:00.000-08:00

I haven't the energy today to write a long, tell-all post. Forgive me.

For those who have not heard (Alex's family), we never made it to the National Tournament last weekend. En route to Seoul our bus driver decided to take a nap, so did not see the cabbage truck he was about to ram. BAM! Cabbage everywhere.

No one was seriously injured, not even Alex. Busted teeth and contusions were the worst injuries. That's the long and short of it. I hope Mom and Dad (Martin) do not read this while on their cruise. If they do . . .

We're fine. Go back to the lounge chair and drink a margarita for us.

Love you all. Peace.

in stitches

2005-11-09T00:55:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking. It's been a long time since . . . Alex needed medical attention. It was that very topic that gave the following course of events a sense of whimsy that can only come from a storyteller discovering their story had come true.

It began a couple of days ago when Alex and I decided to take the night off of kumdo. He was worried about my left ankle and knees, all of which had begun to feel the trauma of training 7 days a week for almost three months. I was developing a mean case of shin splints, and my ankle liked to swell and look pretty frightening. My strained ankle, battered left shoulder, and patchwork of bruises led Alex to make the following fateful comment:

"Do you realize it's been almost a year since I've had any type of injury."

The moment the words tripped off his lips, we both put our heads down to stare at our walking feet. We both knew without saying, but Alex realized his mistake out loud first. "I just jinxed myself." Had we known how quickly fate can pick a pocket, we would never speak the ironies in our head, or gleen enjoyment from watching children run into fences on their bikes. We both passed off the sudden dread as silly and irrational, and though I cannot speak for Alex, a worry burrowed into the back of my head to the chorus of a reverberating phrase - "well, shit".

Two days later, we would laugh again, but only after the bleeding stopped. Class began with several of our teammates being absent. Because of this fact, the team was shuffled up, and some of us were not working with our normal partners. When I say some of us, I mean Alex. He was assigned to Moon Suk, an alternate who had just learned the form over the past two weeks. Moon Suk competes primarily in cutting, and has become accustomed to using an uncompromising amount of force to accomplish the task of slicing through sturdy bamboo. Alex is not bamboo.

Our first run-through of the form we did at a slow pace and one move at a time. This way we could all be sure to that we have the form committed to memory. When I say we could all be sure, I mean Moon Suk. The final series of movements in the form are a well choreographed and timed set of strikes and blocks. There is a great deal of movement that has led my partner to lose balance and deliver a square blow to my left shoulder. Those of us that are non-natives, Alex and I, assumed that we would continue the last series on a step by step basis, however, at the moment we began my partner whisper-yelled, "FAST!" Somewhere in all the concentration and coaching, our higher belt had forgotten that some of us are not fluent in korean despite the uniforms.

As you can probably guess, this is the point where shit went pretty wrong between Alex and Moon Suk. It was three steps into the final series when Alex, still going step by step, realized that Moon Suk was not. Alex reacted by trying to block the oncoming hit, Moon Suk did not react and swung away. When the rest of us had finished, I looked over to see alex with his hand over his eye, and Jae Oon ushering him toward the bathrooms. Being the inquisitive type, I looked for blood on the ground. That's exactly what I found.

Nothing out of the suspected ordinary happened next. The men, fearful that I would be angry, tried to keep Alex away from me while Alex kept saying, "Let me tell Audrey". I walked toward Alex, noticing that he was standing on his own and was looking at me with two eyes. Can't be that bad, I reasoned. "I'm going to the hospital. I need stitches, I think." Tell me something i don't know. I saw the blood on the ground.

night before stitches

This led to our introduction to the wonders of the Korean medical establishment (tainted by our nervousness coming from the horrible mess that is the American medical establishment). The doctors in the emergency room refused to stitch Alex up that night, because there was no plastic surgeon available. Now, when we hear plastic surgeon, what we really hear is the wind ripping through the empty expanse of what used to be a savings account. Alex quickly asked if there was anything the equivalent to duct tape or chewing gum to put him back together, and everyone insisted that he could see the surgeon the next morning.

The following morning we met Master Lee. He took us to the surgeon where, without an appointment, Alex waited 30 minutes and was stitched up fifteen minutes later. The following is the pricing breakdown:

Emergency Room: $20.00
Plastic Surgeon: $20.00
Pharmacy (Painkillers, etc.): $1.50
Follow-up Appointments: $3.00

The government in Korea, on average, covers about 60%-65% of all medical costs (with employment). Not to mention, a great many of their doctors are educated in the U.S. For more information on the constantly evolving medical coverage in South Korea visit The Korea Herald.

That's the story. Alex didn't lose an eye, and managed to meet his quota for hosptial visits before the alotted time had elapsed.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2005-10-30T19:44:00.000-08:00

One year down . . .

2005-10-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

An amazing day to climb a mountain.

2005-10-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

autumn's keepin' in real

2005-10-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

Ch-ch-ch-changes . . .

more colors @ Flickr set "for a walk".

a respite on the pebbled beaches of Ulsan

2005-10-18T00:24:00.000-07:00

moonrise over the east sea

for more pictures from our trip to Ulsan, Gyeongsangnm-Do click on the above photo or visit a2's Flickr photo page.

NUMBER ONE! GOLD! CHAMPION!

2005-10-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

By the time the award ceremony rolled around at 3:30 in the afternoon, all of us had been up and in uniform for about nine hours. Several kids (7-14 years old) smacked the sleep from their eyes with steaming cups of coffee, and were tearing around the gymnasium floor oblivious to the honors and accolades being carefully bestowed to the days' champions.

From our small area of the floor the scene wasn't any different. Students, too tired to sit at attention, leaned awkwardly on one another half awake, some slumped in disappointment, others nervously anticipating results. During the award ceremony my mind wandered through the day which felt stretched cellophane thin.

The damn alarm clock taunting us at 5:45 AM after a brief five hours of rest, a shower and bowl of ramyon before our half an hour walk to the school, and the beginning of a long wait. Hour upon unexaggerated hour of waiting. Why so much waiting? In a regional tournament there are 20+ schools with many, many competitors. the process of competing becomes a darwinian enterprise. The group starts off large, and is carefully widdled into a bracket of top contenders. Now after a day of waiting intermixed with flurries of activity, the noises around us became a lulling drone. As my mind replayed the competition, I cringed at mistakes made, and Alex and I shruggingly conceded that 'what is done is done'.

"AAAHHHHHHH! VICTORY!!! NUMBER ONE!!!!!"

Holy crap, what just happened? Alex and I looked at one another, and then the smiling faces of our team. Our school's Team Form (alex and i are part of) was just announced the winner. The elation and validation resounded throughout our squat on the gym floor. Smiles, fists ("fighting") and victory salutes continued as our team captain accepted the award raising the trophy over his head. Then we waited. Pictures were taken, and the crowd grew hush. Well, hush except for the spastic, coffee kids.

The next series of events are bizarre and dazed. The announcements began for awards in Kyokkum Form (Sparring Form), it was an event that Alex and I had competed in as a team. Wearing armor and being glaringly foreign drew a lot of attention. My first recollection after getting into the armor was seeing little boys point and scratch their heads. they were confused by me. Women do not typically compete in this event, especially against a male teammate. The judges smiled nervously as we took the floor, kids pressed up against the railings looking on anxiously . . . for our part, Alex and I looked menacing and strong. And then we began . . .

What we lacked in dramatic acrobatics (which the another teams used with gusto) we made up for in realism and intensity utilizing the martial art more than the other teams. As I mentioned, the other teams did a lot of acrobatics, but had very little swordplay. Our entire form was swordplay, two carefully placed cartwheels, and a jump kick. We made, what we considered, some horrible mistakes. Our initial response being that of disappointment, Alex actually saying, "What happened?" We were distraught, and felt that we let everyone down. The crowd, however, cheered loudly.

As we unsuited and prepared for the next event, Alex tapped my shoulder and pointed up. A group of little girls were leaning over the railing with outstretched hands. I reached up and they took my hand, all of them smiling but with little to say. More little girls continued to collect above to wave and smile. It made me feel proud that they were able to see a woman take such a strong role in the martial art they studied. In my heart, I hope that a seed of inspiration was planted that day. The memories made a vibrant collage in my head.

I heard Alex's name, or I thought I heard his name. It's hard to say. I looked at Alex, he didn't seem to have taken notice of anything. I assumed my mind had played tricks on me, so I settled back into my quiet.
"GOLD! GOLD!! NUMBER ONE!!! CHAMPION!!!!! VICTORY!!!!!"
Holy crap, it happened, again! I have to stop checking out. I turned to see Alex being shaken by another student. I looked up to find everyone looking at us. "GOLD! VICTORY! FIGHTING!" We stood up, probably with a look of "What the hell?" on our faces. Then we walked to the podium and took our position as the winning team. Master Lee gave us an enthusiastic smile, and I can't speak for Alex, but I had to fight back an ear to ear grin.

That night we went on to celebrate our win and our hard work with members of our school. You can see pictures from our dinner and visit to a norae bong (karaoke) at The Victory Celebration Page on Flickr.

Alex and I go on to compete in our Kyokkum Form, as well as with our Team Form, at Korea's National HaeDong Kumdo Championship next month in Seoul.

bizarre autumn

2005-09-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

Fall has officially arrived. The signs are everywhere. The stores are overflowing with squash, children wear brand new jackets and sweaters, women wander the park in cardigans and wool pants, and the leaves wiggle into clothes of red, orange, yellow, and brown.

On my, now daily, walks through the park i enjoy the smells of autumn under a continually clearing sky intermittenly cloudy and full of sun. On these walks, i find myself scratching my head . . . "How can they wear sweaters and knit caps when it's 79 degrees outside?!" It is officially autumn by any calenders standards, but by my estimates, it isn't yet cold. While temperatures at night are dipping into the upper 60's, the days are still bright and warmer-than-cardigan-weather. As i scratch my head, the koreans likewise scratch their heads about me. "How can she wear a t-shirt in this balmy weather?"

You say "po-tay-toe", i say "po-tah-toe" . . . you say "it's cold out", i say "cold if you live in Africa."

skinny minnies

2005-09-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

October 2nd. Alex and I will be competing in a regional kumdo tournament as part of a team. Along with six other students, we will be performing a form exercise. In preparation we have been training 6 days a week, with the bruises to prove it! Last year the students from our school won in the team form division. I hope we can do the same this year.

The Weigh-In. For registration, Master Lee had to take our weight. For many in the class this seemed like a judgement (the girls especially growing moody), but i was very curious having not seen a scale in some time. As it turns out, eating smaller portions and exercising does help with weight loss. While Alex didn't actually lose any weight, he did lose inches. We already knew this, though. We are going pants shopping this weekend, because none of the pants he came with fit him anymore. I, on the otherhand, have dropped 15 pounds!

I do not attribute the loss solely to martial arts. I see more of a benefit coming from the amount of walking we do (on average, about an hour+ a day). It's also been easy to eat healthy here with snacking foods like roast squid and fish jerky. Even eating out, the majority of food that is put in front of us is a vegetable of some sort (kimchi, marinated turnips, seaweed, corn, zucchini, etc.). We've come to appreciate a good apple, bunch of grapes, or banana, too. I hate to disappoint the masses looking for the miracle-of-all-fad-diets, but it looks like exercise and a balanced diet do actually work.

what're you looking at . . .

2005-09-20T02:07:00.000-07:00

the palace

2005-09-17T20:53:00.000-07:00

here are the long-awaited photos of our living space. . . we cleaned and it was sunny. hard to find a better photo-op.

the kitchen, living room, and study in one picture

a clearer shot of our "study" which consists of a computer desk, fish tank, books, and usually a chair. also included in the photograph, alex's bike.

the other half of the "palace" as seen from the kitchen. bathroom's on the left.

the bedroom, and our paul bunyon size bed.

clearing skies

2005-09-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

nabi's edge

2005-09-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

we were subjected only to the very edges of Hurricane Nabi as it made its way to Japan. here are some pics of the interesting cloud formations that covered the city for an afternoon.

update

2005-09-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

i apologize for the randomness, and lack of information in the blogs of late. let me assure you that all will be corrected, and you will find yourself fondly recalling the ease of august's entries. . .

entering september a calm has crept into a2's apartment. with my long-awaited return to domestic life and writing, the place is starting to look downright homey. a space this small is easily overwhelmed with laundry, dishes, paper, etc. through july and august, it has seen its worst. i was reliving my first college apartment sans cigarette butts and empty bottles of southern comfort. small word of advice ROSS: when having a large party never let smokers discard their butts in the garbage disposal, or the next day you will be surprised and angry at the results (especially when running the dishwasher). thankfully, quality of life is on the rise with the addition of houseplants and fish.

it's been difficult to re-establish a writing routine after being away. these first couple of weeks back in the fold will be devoted to finding a schedule that works. i'm optimistic, actually envisioning more than one project finding a place in the mess of things. thanks for the continued encouragement (especially from mr. gladden).

alex has actually entered the realm of blogging. no, i'm serious . . . in the next week or so there will be an official link from this page. WARNING: it's not for the weak at heart or under-opinionated. the title is "For Arguement's Sake", and as you've probably gathered, will be his own voice on controversial/sensitive issues. those of us who have ever had it out with him, know that he's not one to shy from these things. it should be an interesting and educational ride.

let me clarify for everyone freaking out about alex's blog. first of all, he's not going out of his way to look for trouble. his blog will be counter-arguements to fellow-bloggers. if a racist can have a blog, why can't someone tell them how inappropriate their comments are? OR what if something as simple as a figure of speech drives him crazy? he might blog about that. he's not putting death wishes out into the blogsphere, so just take a deep breath. relax.

as for korea. the fall is near arrival, foreshadowed by a clearing of the skies and high visibility. the horizons have been amazing; bright blue days, starry-dark nights. the temperatures are still hovering in the mid-80's, but humidity is down. the evening cool is ushered around the city by brisk winds. fall blooms in white and purple are beginning to paint hillsides, and before long, we should see the turning of leaves begin. the 3-day Chusok (Harvest Moon) holiday is this coming weekend. we also have the Annual Kimchi Festival to look forward to this fall. more to come on that subject . . .

TO BE CONTINUED (aka time to go grocery shopping)

Typhoon Nabi

2005-09-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

We are in the shadow of Typhoon Nabi (Nabi means Butterfly in Korean). The typhoon made landfall in Kyushu (Japan) this morning where 47,000 homes had to be evacuated. Last night winds were picking up substantially, but Nabi is breaking northeast losing strength as she passes over the cooler waters in the straits between Japan and Korea. The Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) has issued flood/thunderstorm warnings, and we are expected to get quite a bit of rain. Mild compared to the beating Japan is taking right now.

To our worried parents . . . don't. The weather is actually downright pleasant, and we've yet to see the rain that has been predicted. Most of the weather is expected within the next 24 hours, and in all actuality, will probably be a lot tamer than predicted.

nothing much

2005-08-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

Well, the weather has finally broken, and we are enjoying milder temperatures. The ease in heat and humidity is much welcomed, as is the clearing of the sky. All summer a haze has nestled into the nooks and crannies surrounding the city making it impossible to see the mountains. Whether a shift in winds or a Korean mystery for the ages, the haze has lifted and the sky is beautifully clear. The blue expanse dappled with clouds is set afire at dusk with amazing color, even the city's busy construction cranes and building frames look glamorous in the orange-red shock painted by our asian sun. However, it is the later wash of greens, purples, and yellows dissolving into night that create a lasting sense of peace as a cricket-sonata accompanies the light evening breeze.

In the park, families and friends are strewn across the grounds, resting their feet on picnic blankets. Children ride bicycles, couples play badminton, and the older boys try their hand at baseball. It is a Rockwell-esque vision of togetherness sans the saccharin.

Alex and I are still muscling through kumdo. The health and fitness are worth the physical pains we sometimes endure, and it keeps us focused when we feel overwhelmed.

Our social life has been pretty mild since we’ve been here, but it looks like things are changing. We are going to venture to a noraybong (a place with individual rooms for karaoke) with Rachel and Ki-Yoon sometime soon, and we recently met Min who wants to take us hiking. All and all, there are no complaints as life continues to be one big adventure.

the details

2005-08-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

day two: dehydration, an arboretum, and projectile vomiting

after a night with cement pillows and an unforgiving mattress, we groggily rolled into a hot, summer morning already dehydrated and sunburned. alex was a bit worse for wear, mumbling “water . . . water . . . . .” (a sentiment reverberating in my head). we looked over our maps of Wando, marking all intersections with churches, temples, strange houses, and smiling people with easy-to-read pamphlets, before wandering into the sunny, sidewalkless street outside our hotel.

where are we? where are we attempting to go? are you thirsty?

i am thirsty. we hobbled along in the unrelenting sun toward the corner MINI STOP for snacks and water. i cannot describe the intensity of the sun we have experienced while in country. imagine yourself at 5 o’clock in the afternoon with the sky still pushing a noontime sun onto your back. it’s so damn hot, you later check your shoulders for brands.

it was at this point that alex began looking less than up to task for the journey. his head appeared unhinged as his chin reached for his chest, and his walk was that of a man trying to deliver a full martini glass to a table on rough seas. not that i was grand, but i knew i wasn’t struggling with the same demons, and was grateful when we arrived at the mart.

the main street in Wando isn’t too much to speak of. it’s wide lanes are set back from the waterfront about 1/2 a mile. all the roads into town twist and converge toward a single road that leads to the ferry docks. everything about this street made it seems as though this town was a mistake, why else would all the roads lead you out? a manmade waterfall rushes over nature-made rocks on the hillside near the bus station, and is bookended by plain, flat, and unimaginative store fronts (save the Tiki-esque local dive bar).

after staring at the depressing, main street scene for thirty minutes, we wandered in search of transportation to Wando’s Arboretum. finally opting for a cab once the bussing situation became too confusing, we drove around the island toward the park. the countryside was beautiful, a patchwork of rice paddies and pear orchards right up to the base of the mountains. a single lane, two-way road lead up to the park. Marilynn would not have enjoyed this part of the drive.

while at the arboretum, we roamed in the virtually shadeless expanse of the new park. we had not bargained for an arboretum without protection from the sun, but still muscled up the paths determined to see the damn place.

alex had grown very quiet during out walk, and by my estimates wasn’t faring too well, so because you can’t always sense the stupidity that is in front of you, we decided to visit the giant greenhouse. pushing the envelope on what was possibly heat exhaustion, i enjoyed the greenhouse immensely, while alex did not.

later, outside the greenhouse, alex rested in the shade while i explored a bit further. upon my return, alex promptly vomited the most incredible force of water i had ever witnessed. if i weren’t so sensitive (smirk), i would’ve yelled “LANDSLIDE!”

as you can probably guess, we headed back down the mountain, and towards the bus station (which was a good 3 mile walk). i had read somewhere that hitchhiking was safe in Korea, and just as i was about to thumb it, a car pulled up and offered a ride. how fortuitous! they took us to the station in town, where we easily bussed the rest of way back to Wando.

the remainder of our stay, we walked along the waterfront, ate a delicious dinner of Maeun-tang (hot fish soup), and spent time remarking on the difficulties of the trip. all in all, even with the frustrations, it was nice to leave Gwangju. it was even better, the following day, to return and feel like we were home.

next expedition:

Wolchul-san National Park (as seen from the bus window)

Wando Arboretum Pics

the details

2005-08-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

day one: the jehovah's and pink chicken

the particulars of our misadventurous vacation in the south sea may be in order. Alex is a bit more succinct than i, and knowing that, i don’t feel too bad embellishing on his portrait of our excursion. for starters, our friendly ambassadors to Myeongsasimni (the beach on Shinji-do) were cultists. that’s right, just your standard, run-of-the-mill followers of some bizarre “faith” revolving around absurd theories about the earth’s axis shifting. to save you from too much detail, this cult preaches meditation and the prophecies of Nostradamus and some guy from Butthole, USA. THANKFULLY, we had the pesky language barrier preventing them from sucking our brains through our nostrils in an attempt to convert us (a la Jehovah’s Witness [yep, they have those here, too]).

our companions plied us with alcohol and fish while asking us to sing meditation mantras and to peruse their written material. like i said before, we had the “barrier” to protect us from their constant barrage of crap-slinging. even they had to eventually bore of pointing at the same two pictures, and saying the same 3 sentences English. whew!

Alex did rupture his eardrum, and was assaulted by a violent, vengeful and submerged tree stump. i, on the other hand was a body-surfing maniac, attacking the sea with a force found only in a person who (A) loves the water and (B) is seeking to escape an uncomfortable situation. let me say, before coming across too harsh, that our two hosts had the best intentions and were truly considerate and generous people. they were also, unbeknownst to us, harbingers of the awkward and often anxiety-ridden following day. Urgh.

sunburned and exhausted we headed back to Wando, and the comfortable, quiet of our hotel. after a nap, a shower, and a gallon of water, we headed to town. Wando is like any american town on the outskirts of a tourist destination. so many people pass through, no one stays for any respectable amount of time, and the kids love that shit. i honestly believe that we heard more English attempted on this trip that at any other point in our stay in south korea. the girls all thought alex was hot, and people wanted to TALK.

we ventured to a familiar resto-hof, for a pitcher of beer and, what would turn out to be, possibly undercooked chicken. i say possibly, because the lighting was poor. it was probably my imagination considering that only Alex felt ill later on, but . . . . ANYWAY, we sat in a private booth, ate & drank & enjoyed one another’s company. Lights out . . . it was a long dehydrating and sunburned day.

click for vacation pics