"Friends In Low Places"

This weekend I met Hwayoung and her friend Minyoung in Apgujeong-dong (the Beverly Hills of Seoul). Minyoung was getting her cell phone repaired at one of Samsung's many service and repair centers. We dropped in on her so she wouldn't be bored while she was waiting. I could only wish Verizon stores back home had this kind of service.

Yes, that is a food massager, and a large plasma screen entertainment center. If that's not enough, they also have computers with internet access set up for you to use.

After Minyoung's phone was fixed, we did a little window shopping in the streets of Apgujeong mainly at the Galleria. This is a really rich area, where there are tons of big name fashion brands. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Armani, etc. There are a plethora of nice restaurants that I can't afford an appetizer at, plastic surgeons on every corner, and they even have a street named Rodeo Drive. I saw women walking around in fur coats, and basically everyone besides me looked as though they stepped out of a fashion magazine. Next time I go, I'm wearing a tux.

 We were going to watch a free movie at CGV, but it turned out it was a Chinese movie without English subtitles. Instead we went to Cold Stone Creamery and enjoyed some yummy ice cream (the cheesecake ones are amazing). I have realized that I am not used to eating much foods with sugar in them any more, and everything now tastes sweeter to me. It's amazing how my taste buds have changed in the last 5+ months. Foods I thought were really spicy I have become accustomed to, and salty foods taste even more so now. Weird.

 Last night was my friend (and neighbor) Marcus' birthday. A bunch of us went to Pizza Hut and ate Sweet Potato and Pepperoni pizzas. I can't compare Pizza Hut to the ones back home because I think the last time I was at one I was maybe 10 years old. I have a thing against most chain restaurants, especially fast food ones, but the pizza wasn't too shabby there! Afterward, we hit up a couple bars to finish off the night. Good food + good drinks + good people = a good night! CHECK OUT THE PICS!

Happy Birthday Marcus!

"Late in the Evening"

This past weekend was pretty tiring, but I am getting used to going out and socializing into the wee hours of the morning now. Sadly, it really is the only way to get to meet people around my area. Foreign men go out late to party to meet Korean women and Koreans (women and men) work ungodly hours and unwind starting from 11 and usually wrapping things up around 3-4am.

On Friday night, Jordan was going on a date with a gorgeous model (Mi-Su), and seeing how double/group dating is more popular here than one-on-one, he invited me along. My date was gorgeous as well (Miona). The odds were in my favor so I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed as, in my opinion, most Korean women are beautiful. Miona is an art/design student at one of the most prestigious universities in Korea. To me, they are all prestigious as if you compared them to a lot of the universities back home you would see how much harder the students have to work. Even to get into a university is quite a difficult task in comparison, as I have heard the entrance exams they take in late high school are brutal.

Anyways, we treated the ladies to a nice dinner of samgyupsal at a restaurant in Hongdae. Samguypsal is a popular pork dish that is grilled on a hot plate with kimchi, garlic or onions. Hongdae is one of the post popular night spots in Seoul full of night clubs, bars, restaurants and norebangs.



After dinner we trekked through the back streets and found a hopping bar and ordered one of their specials - a bottle of tequila, peaches, nachos, Coke and Cider (Sprite). We played a couple of drinking games that Koreans seem to love, and chatted the night away in broken Korean/English. Overall, it was a fun and tiring night.

On Saturday night, Jordan had another date, so we did the same - this time with a different Korean girl (Her English name is Lindsey) who I have met on a couple occasions at different bars, and her friend (I forgot her name as it was too hard to pronounce). They had gone for dinner and I met up with them at one of the popular Japanese bar chains called Warawara in downtown Sanbon, where we had some more broken Korean/English conversations, and drank some Soju cocktails. (they squeeze or blend fresh fruit and add it to a bottle of Soju - tasty and strong!) Afterward, I suggested we go to a pool hall where we taught them how to play. Unfortunately, my date and I lost, and I had to pay for our beer at the next bar, where we played some darts, and chatted some more.

After the girls left, we stumbled across some other foreigners we knew and a new girl named Ashley who has been here for 2 weeks. The best part is she lives in my building! Finally, someone who is only a couple floors away - as I felt as if I were the only white person in my entire officetel. (An officetel is an apartment building that has stores built into it. Mine contains a cinema, cell phone store, 7-11, coffee shop, retail clothing shops, multiple restaurants, and a small bank). Ashley (who is from Iowa), was a little drunk, and offered to bake me cookies seeing as it is the neighborly thing to do (at least it is in the mid-west where people are polite). Too bad she didn't realize until later that we have basically the same apartment and we don't have ovens. (her next offer of fried or microwaved cookies was quickly turned down). Yuck!

Anyways, this is my last week of summer camp, so my short 5 day vacation is quickly approaching. I'm trying to make plans, and will probably hit up a few museums, and some other sites. I really can't wait until the autumn gets here and I can really explore the outdoors, hike a moutain or two, and get some fantastic photos of the changing leaves around a palace!