Girls' Urinal.

Look familiar guys?

Aim and shoot.

빼빼로 Day

Today is Oct 11, 20009; 11 / 11. There are four ones in a row equaling four sticks. This apparently equals Peppero day.

P [ㅃ]e (ㅒ )pp[ㅃ]e (ㅒ)r (ㄹ)o(ㅗ) .
Normally, the consonant ‘P’ is ‘ㅍ’, but it’s a strong sounding ‘b’/’p’ sound, so they say ‘ㅃ’.

Eh –ㅒ
ㄹ- is actually ‘l’ but in the middle of a sentence, it becomes ‘r’. It’s a day commercially pushed, somewhat like Valentine’s Day in the states. This is from what I could tell. I had no idea the holiday was upon me until students started giving me Peppero.  I received more than a bit, feeling quite guilty I could not return the favor. It’s a fun holiday, though. Since I missed Halloween, it almost made up for it.

It’s getting cold here, winter is almost here. A few short weeks and it will be at my door. ALAS! I am armed with heat pads that last 24 hours; they cost roughly 500 – 1000 won.  I tuck heating pads into my waist band mid-back and it warms my whole body.  I plan on sending some home to my friends and my folks in the states.

I’m also sick again, so bed rest is on the agenda for this night. It is too easy to catch a cold in Korea.

Any Day Now

I'm using notepad, as I usually do to blog. Then I migrate to Microsoft Word and then whatever blogs I feel like posting in.

I've become increasingly busy in S.Korea, so blogging has decreased marginally. I'll continue to post about important things that foreigners may find useful.

Here is a list of phrases that I use often:
Oh ma ye yo - How much?
Mu lie yo - I don't know.
Chew say o - Please give me
Mianhamnida - Sorry
Sillehhamnida - Excuse me
Komsumnida / Komapsumnida - Thank you
Joe why yo - I like (it)
An Joe why yo - I don't like (it)
Hagima - Don't do that!
Hagima -sayo - Please don't do that!

'sayo' is good for being polite.

Random phrase I learned in Taekwondo:
Mald an dwey - No way!!!! It can't be~!


I'm teaching 22 hours a week with an additional extracurricular class and an adult teacher's class I start next Tuesday. I go to Taekwondo Mon-Thursday in Banghak. Since it's become easier to make lesson plans, I have much more free time. I'm learning Korean steadily from my Co teacher. I've learned how to read but it's just words and sounds until I know what pictures they match up with. Thankfully I can now read a subway map. Learning how to read is actually very easy and I can write, too. It's thrilling to learn a new language.

I set up online banking with my co teacher, so hopefully it gets easier to do transactions (and I don't have to leave).

Swine flu is a very hot issue in this area. Last week a third of my students were out of school sick with it, and I was required to wear a medicinal mask throughout the week. I have myself suffered from the flu (or swine flu, I hadn't been tested). Either way, I was sick with the flu and I had to work despite that. Work ethic in Korea is hard core, I have never see anything like it.

Fall colors are beautiful, like a picture. Winter starts in December and yesterday it was 27 C outside. SO COLD.





Another topic: Jimjibang
Sauna Room - Dragon Hill

It was an experience, I've never been naked around people I didn't know for an extended amount of time. I walked in, put my shoes away after receiving my locker, clothing, and key for 12,000 won. I went up a floor and reached the changing area and/or locker room. There were many Koreans walking naked, female only. Bottom floor there were many different pools and saunas, I recommend visiting a Jimjibang even if you are uncomfortable walking around naked; you merely change into your given lounging clothing and you're set!