Well folks, after receiving free Internet access for about 5 months, because someone forgot to cancel their service, the jig is up. A woman moved in down the hall, and I think the company figured out that I happened to still get a network. So currently I am using the network at school, until Lauren schedules an installation. It was good while it lasted, though.
So, this weekend is Chinese New Year, and being so close to China, it's a pretty big thing here. (Regular New Year, however, not so much). This weekend I am headed to Seoul with some friends, taking advantage of the general migration south to Busan that every Korean seems to be taking (most people go to their hometowns, and most people aren't from Seoul), this has resulted in amazing hotel prices and a less crowded metropolis. Hoping to go to the Olympic Museum and perhaps the art gallery. Then its back for three days of working and then to Busan for my friend Jade's birthday. If this sounds wonderful, that's because it is. I need to wire money home soon. This is detrimental to my bank account.
Also, a thrilling new first. The other day, David (the British coworker), Adrienne (my Korean friend) and I went to dinner. While it was normal Korean cuisine, there was something different. The presence of a new side dish. Silkworm Larva! Bug eating here isn't that unsual, actual. Eating the coccoon of a butterfly is done as well, they fry it up. I haven't had it, but I don't think that will happen. Upon learning that I hadn't tried these tiny taste parties yet, David popped one in his mouth, declared that I now had to have one, and that they were delicious. Not willing to back out of such a dare, I picked one up with my chopsticks and started chewing. While it may have looked like a nut, it had a crispy outside with a wet chewy center. Also, it tasted like the ashes of my father's cigars. I can't even explain to you how horrible this felt.
Ignorance is bliss. I would rather be ignorant about this taste than fully knowledgeable about wanting to drink Listerine in order to get the awful feeling out of my mouth.
By for now,
Mallory
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
General Life Updates
Hopefully, by now the joy of me actually posting in my blog has overcome you that you have passed out and will not be able to enjoy the rest of the post. But I will write one, just in case. Here are a couple of mini-blogs about what's going on.
-Christmastime in Cheonan came and went. Things were pretty relaxed around here, and I, expectantly, got really excited to see the family for Christmas. I wanted to pick up a couple of gifts for the family and headed to Insadong, a neighborhood of Seoul that is all artisan-based shops and galleries to get some traditional gifts. Prior to leaving, I consulted the map and headed to Jungguk, the subway stop nearest the neighborhood. After sucessfully metr0-ing to Jungguk (which felt like a feat because I had to transfer twice), I walked around for a bit only to get lost in this area. After calling several people, my friend Gary offered the best advice. "Get in a cab and said 'Insadong'." 11,000 won later, I was in Insadong. The metro station I wanted to go to was Junngak. A mere one letter difference from where I was, but was veritably the difference between "San Fransisco" and "San Quentin". Eventually, I got all of my shopping done in about an hour and a half (that's how amazing this place is) and it is currently my favorite area of Seoul. If you travel to Korea, I highly reccommend you check this place out.
-Both myself and my co-worker David, headed home for the holidays. David (who is from just south of London) left at 4 on Christmas day on the shuttle bus to Incheon airport ( a two hour bus ride) and I was to go at 6. We bought our tickets the night before and then headed out for our Christmas Eve dinner of Vietnamese. Fast forward to when I wake up: 6:18 am, a mere 18 minutes after my bus left. Thankfully, I am very paranoid about time and my flight left at noon. So I got my stuff together, got a cab to the KTX station, got a train to Seoul, and then a cab to Incheon which is about 50,000 won (50 dollars). After getting in line to buy my reentry visa and standing in said line for about 20 minutes, I found out that I already had a reentry visa. Also good thing to know: Burger King in Incheon Airport serves breakfast from 6:00 am to 8:00. This is rediculous. Thankfully the rest of my travelling was great. I got home on Christmas day around 9 pm
-Christmas at home was wonderful. Jetlag killed me for about a day, when I was fine until about 5 when I fell asleep on the living room floor, woke up to a plate of food next to my head, ate it and went back to sleep in room, only to wake up at 4:30 the next morning. Thankfully, Dad was up to. He had no excuse, however.
-Things that were weird upon arrival in an English-speaking country. Listening to other people's conversations. You would be surprised how wonderful it can be to be isolated from the rest of the world in terms of language. I can go to the store, not see anyone I know and not have to answer any questions, because people just assume I can't speak Korean, they would be half right, the other half I make up with hand gestures. Landing in Chicago, I was suddenly able to hear what the couple behind me wanted to eat for lunch, or what this little girl was crying about or what the old guy on the cell phone was saying. Frankly, it was annoying.
-Being about to read things once again was good. Usually when I go to the grocery store, I match prices with the weight in oz. on the item and price tag on the shelf. If something is 340 and the 340 thing is 7,500 won, I know I have my man. In the United States, I can actually read the food that I am going to consume! Wonder of Wonders!
-Coming back home was mostly stress-less as well. Last time I made that journey, I had no clue where I was going and what my life was going to be. So I was well orientated. Not only that but when I got to the gate in Chicago, and checked in with the airline, I found out that I was bumped up to business class. Asa! It was the best 11 hour flight ever. I wanted it to be longer. A cross-pacific business class seat is very expensive, but I will save in order to have one again, or bribe the agent at the counter in the terminal. Champagne upon boarding? Yes, please!
-So getting back into the swing of things here. The next couple of weekends should be nice. My friend Jade has her birthday this weekend and she wants to go to Seoul and Busan. So Seoul this weekend for Chinese New Year (we get 2 days off) then 3 days at work and another weekend in Busan. Expect pictures.
Hope this is finding you well and enjoying the New Year and President!
Mallory
-Christmastime in Cheonan came and went. Things were pretty relaxed around here, and I, expectantly, got really excited to see the family for Christmas. I wanted to pick up a couple of gifts for the family and headed to Insadong, a neighborhood of Seoul that is all artisan-based shops and galleries to get some traditional gifts. Prior to leaving, I consulted the map and headed to Jungguk, the subway stop nearest the neighborhood. After sucessfully metr0-ing to Jungguk (which felt like a feat because I had to transfer twice), I walked around for a bit only to get lost in this area. After calling several people, my friend Gary offered the best advice. "Get in a cab and said 'Insadong'." 11,000 won later, I was in Insadong. The metro station I wanted to go to was Junngak. A mere one letter difference from where I was, but was veritably the difference between "San Fransisco" and "San Quentin". Eventually, I got all of my shopping done in about an hour and a half (that's how amazing this place is) and it is currently my favorite area of Seoul. If you travel to Korea, I highly reccommend you check this place out.
-Both myself and my co-worker David, headed home for the holidays. David (who is from just south of London) left at 4 on Christmas day on the shuttle bus to Incheon airport ( a two hour bus ride) and I was to go at 6. We bought our tickets the night before and then headed out for our Christmas Eve dinner of Vietnamese. Fast forward to when I wake up: 6:18 am, a mere 18 minutes after my bus left. Thankfully, I am very paranoid about time and my flight left at noon. So I got my stuff together, got a cab to the KTX station, got a train to Seoul, and then a cab to Incheon which is about 50,000 won (50 dollars). After getting in line to buy my reentry visa and standing in said line for about 20 minutes, I found out that I already had a reentry visa. Also good thing to know: Burger King in Incheon Airport serves breakfast from 6:00 am to 8:00. This is rediculous. Thankfully the rest of my travelling was great. I got home on Christmas day around 9 pm
-Christmas at home was wonderful. Jetlag killed me for about a day, when I was fine until about 5 when I fell asleep on the living room floor, woke up to a plate of food next to my head, ate it and went back to sleep in room, only to wake up at 4:30 the next morning. Thankfully, Dad was up to. He had no excuse, however.
-Things that were weird upon arrival in an English-speaking country. Listening to other people's conversations. You would be surprised how wonderful it can be to be isolated from the rest of the world in terms of language. I can go to the store, not see anyone I know and not have to answer any questions, because people just assume I can't speak Korean, they would be half right, the other half I make up with hand gestures. Landing in Chicago, I was suddenly able to hear what the couple behind me wanted to eat for lunch, or what this little girl was crying about or what the old guy on the cell phone was saying. Frankly, it was annoying.
-Being about to read things once again was good. Usually when I go to the grocery store, I match prices with the weight in oz. on the item and price tag on the shelf. If something is 340 and the 340 thing is 7,500 won, I know I have my man. In the United States, I can actually read the food that I am going to consume! Wonder of Wonders!
-Coming back home was mostly stress-less as well. Last time I made that journey, I had no clue where I was going and what my life was going to be. So I was well orientated. Not only that but when I got to the gate in Chicago, and checked in with the airline, I found out that I was bumped up to business class. Asa! It was the best 11 hour flight ever. I wanted it to be longer. A cross-pacific business class seat is very expensive, but I will save in order to have one again, or bribe the agent at the counter in the terminal. Champagne upon boarding? Yes, please!
-So getting back into the swing of things here. The next couple of weekends should be nice. My friend Jade has her birthday this weekend and she wants to go to Seoul and Busan. So Seoul this weekend for Chinese New Year (we get 2 days off) then 3 days at work and another weekend in Busan. Expect pictures.
Hope this is finding you well and enjoying the New Year and President!
Mallory
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