Ahnnyong Haseyo!

Hello how are you?

Right now I'm in Gwang-ju staying at my co-teacher's house for a couple of days. We went to Biennale, which is a huge arts festival held every two years in Gwang-ju (near the Prince Hotel where I did my orientation with Canadian Connection). At Biennale there is a massive gallery there with multiple levels containing contemporary art from all over the world. It was really interesting and I got some awesome pictures! One of my favourite pieces was the rice stacked to look like rows in a field, then there was a red lazor line in each row. I swear I've seen the piece in my contemporary art history class back in Canada! Very cool!

Interesting/weird things about Korea (this is an ongoing list that I will add to all year:

- when people go for a walk on a mountain they HAVE to have a walking outfit, or they're doing it wrong. When Mrs. Yoon (my co-teachers wife) found out I like to hike, she insisted on buying me one of those track suits that EVERYONE here wears. Trying it on was one of the most unbearable ordeals I have ever had to survive. Just getting my size was hard enough (I'm a behemoth in South Korea), but I had to try on a few different shades of pink and everyone felt the need to touch me in inappropriate places to make sure it was the right fit! About five people touched my bum!

- people do indeed have siestas here. It's hilarious. People can sleep anywhere, in any place, any position! After leaving a norybong one night (a karaoke bar) at about three am there was a man slumped over the hood of a car. His feet were on the ground, he was just bent over the hood sleeping. I wish I'd gotten a picture.

- money is incredibly important. My co-teacher is always telling me what everything costs, what my pink-walking-jumpsuit cost, my cell phone that I'm borrowing (1 million won!!! EEEEKKK! That's more than one thousand dollars canadian!!! I shit you not! It has a camera, mp3 player etc etc. Status= possessions here. If you want to be important, spend lots of money!!!

- There are a ridiculous amount of apartment buildings. Think to yourself "Hmmm... I'm going to picture how many there are"... are you picturing it?.... You're wrong, whatever you're thinking, there are WAY more. Like, a lot more. And then some. I know you're thinking that I'm being dramatic, but where else can everyone be packed? Korea is the size of Southwesten Ontario (yep, that little tiny tip near the lakes) and there are about 50 million people in South Korea.

- interesting dish of the week: kids here LOVE silkworm larvae and little tiny snails. Today we stopped off to snack on little boiled snails which are sucked straight out of the shell. When I couldn't suck mine out and gave up, I was quite okay with that!!! Of all the sea creatures, I think snails creep me out the most. Give me raw squid any day!!

- to call emergency: 119

- to call information: 114

Okay, that's enough of that for the moment. Gotta go!