Annoyonghaseyo from Seoul, South Korea! Rance asked me to post some photos so that he can picture what it looks like here. There is a saying in this country "Western technology, Eastern spirit" that is an excellent summation of the city. Ancient Temples next to boxy skysrapers, traditional Korean BBQ nextdoor to Dunkin Donuts, handcarts alongside sleek cars.



I admit that I was embarrassingly ignorant about this country and its culture before coming here. But, what an amazing place! I am here studying social technology and how it can effect sense of community and social interactions with two of my UW professors and about 14 other students. So far there has been a lot of eating and jet lag, but there is also a lot of work and fun to come.

Here is a list of my top four favorite things about South Korea so far.

4. Monsoons. There have been some crazy fierce storms since we arrived. Trees bent over, thunder, lighting, little streams running down the street, people running for cover under newspapers, etc. Had to buy an umbrella within hours of arriving here.

3. Awesome English translations everywhere! Check out this one from a restaurant yesterday:

If only everyone was so enthusiastic about pleasing their foreign customers! These are all over the city. And it's a good thing too, or I would be totally lost as to what is going on most of the time. Korean is a hard language to pick up.

2. My EXTRA firm mattress. Most South Koreans live in one room dwellings. They transform them throughout the day into kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, offices, and bedrooms. (I think IKEA would be big here.) Consequently, they are used to unrolling sleeping on mats on the floor for some shut eye. My mattress is a good assimilation of this feeling! Plus I am on a top bunk in a dorm room. I feel about 10 years old again. No broken toes for groggy, pitch dark descents in the night yet. I thought it was going to be pretty bad, but my back feels great. Maybe there is something to that firm mattress theory after all...

1. THE FOOD! You know how much I hate mystery meat. I have learned to eat first and ask later. It all tastes amazing--I don't want to know where it came from or what it is. Last night we had Korean BBQ. You roast your own meat over a tiny pot of open flame in the middle of your table. Very carnivorous. (Apparently insurance companies are okay with clueless foreigners wielding fire in antique wooden buildings.) There is this menacing looking silver hose over the flame that I originally worried was to suck up rude customers or put out rogue blazes, but it turns out you use it to siphon away any smoke. There are a few sauces to dip your roasted meat in (some could easily burn off your eyebrows) and man it is good--and cheap. I even tried pork belly (tastes like bacon) and a questionable looking seafood item that I think was squid.

Other good things are chewy ice cream, sweet buns filled with red bean paste (trust me, it's better than it sounds), and these little pancakes you can get from street vendors. There are lot's of other things I am excited to try.


("chewy" ice cream man)

All this talk of food is making me hungry, so I am going to go get some breakfast. I hope to post some pictures of the Demilitarized Zone later.