Itaewon, Icheon and other mischief...

Turns out that Seoul has a pretty hopping night life that goes until 4am most nights. Definately deciding that this is a city of the night, much more beautiful at night too..cars, ultra glow character signs, etc.. make for a Christmas tree-esque decopage of lights. No matter what time of the night there are people walking the streets, plenty of things to cause trouble in including thrice visited Itaewon, a street packed with some stylish clubs and some not so nice pubs, and the majority of Authentic foreign dining establishments. Actually making friends, although almost all are Europeans, and either work as English teachers here too or are on business. Met a few nights ago with one tall friendly German fellow who took me to a German Christmas village here in the city where I was introduced the warm and tasty Gluwein, best way to describe it is as a lemony warm sangria wine, highly reccommended.

Christmas.. what a funny concept that will be this season, naturally the United States is the place to be for the holidays. Here I'm laughing to myself as they decorate their fake trees with cotton balls stretched over little branches as they believe it imitates snow, not a huge deal here to celebrate but the consumerism and marketing still take hold. Recalling palm trees in Central America last year strung with twinkly lights whilst baby jesus lay in a tropical manger. Here they also like to remix Christmas jingles with techno and blast it over the loud speakers in many public spots.

Had Pizza Hut last night, wow is it hard to find anything but Korean food here that hasn't been "Korean-ized" and I'm actually missing a bit of grease and salt. I enjoy their cuisines but quite often my eyelids peel back as my system is shocked by yet another red/black pepper, ginger, or garlic seasoned dish with mystery meat. So funny thing to add, I am open minded when it comes to dining but was told to watch out for.. you'll never believe it... chicken butt hole dishes.. have no further comments as they're all rather crude on the topic but wow!

Today was a unique opportunity to experience the cultural heritage of this tiny land mass. In Seoul everything is so modernized that it's only in small glimpses that you see their roots. Icheon in the countryside is home to their world famous ceramics, and in wandering about museums and markets I found exactly the piece I want to buy, it's a lovely teapot with carved out niches and classical white crane paintings, but if you look closely there's another interior pot so it's usable..... only drawback is that it would cost my year's wages. Here they manage a pale green hue of paint specific to Korea and accent with detailed and often repetitive patterns in an even paler hue.

The day became hands on when my guides took me to a do-it-yourself pottery shop, big greenhouse plastic tent more like with an ornery goat wandering about chasing a poor little dog. Here I had the chance to create my own artistic vase on a wheel after handing over a scribbly picture to a cute young sculptor helper to explain what I had in mind for design. My younger sis has been into pottery for a while now and I can see the draw, recalling romantic scenes from the movie "Ghost". My piece will also sport that lovely greenish paint job when delivered next month after kiln burning and glazing work. Kilns are an interesting thing too as they generally still do their work in old style with a long pea pod shaped earthen kiln built on an upward slope so as when a fire is lit at the bottom the flames travel upward cooking the clays.

Had an authentic Joseon Dynasty dining experience today too, am slowly getting used to my feet going numb after sitting cross legged on thin seat pillows eating at 12inch high tables. I would hate to be a dishwasher at any restaurant here as generally there are many side dishes but our lunch plates today numbered near 80. Pretty little wood carved sliding doors and yet another shoe-free room, on and off of shoes hard still as I'm tall and not blocking an entryway is rather difficult when I'm attached to my lace up purple Pumas and rarely wear slip-ons.

Korean hospitality is very demanding and quite exhausting for a Western guest but a highly enjoyable experience as many are eager to learn about us. Certain friends reading this will identify when I say that entering a Korean home is like going to Grandma's house. A short visit generally lasts no less than an hour and they don't understand the term "I have somewhere to be", whether or not you've already eaten prepare to eat more, and sometimes even more after that especially if your guests wish to practice English with you.

On Korean fashion: Naturally one must at all times wear socks, major rule: never enter a home without socks, and street vendors display long tables of colorful and often odd choices for purchase. Here image perception is vital and you'll never be able to tell a knock-off Louis Vuitton bag from the real thing. Women here, outside of nightclubs, are dressed clear to the neck, but a funny thing, their skirts are so short that a small gust of wind would provide a full show, have been told that the difference is primarily that American women tend to be bustier so in having something to flaunt we do. Everywhere you go you'll see the school girl uniforms with plaid skirts. Plaid, everybody here owns plaid.. and leather.. and apparently this season wearing both with faux fur topped snow boots is the rage.. and don't leave home without your fake handbag. My wardrobe is so far behind that I give up most days and go out in jeans with the holey knee and crazy color layers to stay warm with my Payless Shoesource bag from home.

Seoul..Day One...

An nyang ha sa yo....(hello, how are you)

Beautiful Korean stuardesses have pampered me for the past half day's flight, and now Incheon airport is very stream-lined and technologically efficient like the whole of Seoul. Trend setting young people dart past me with a side glance at this tall American wondering what I'm doing here. I would ask myself the same question but packing up and moving to a major southeast asian super-metropolis, boasting largest city population in the world at 12 million residents, doesn't phase me in the least and much surprises my hosts who have met many nervous relocators who've come to rub off their English on their family.

The kids, Seoyeon and Hongjoon, are singing along to a Britney Spears pop song and I pretend not to know the words and rather keep my eyes glued to car windows as we pass miles of skyscraping apartment buildings and an abundance of cranes working to further elevate the skyline. Here you dont see houses, land is too precious and I take happily to my access coded 14th floor apartment view later in the evening. Inquiring as to a downtown I'm told that everywhere is a downtown and I find out my next day just how true that is when I see the convenience of nearby markets that house everything that one may need and I'm reminded of those markets I had once visited in Costa Rica.

Morning is spent over green tea ad traditional korean breakfast, already this early the lanes of traffic are stalling on one of 20ish bridges that connect North and South city over the river Han. Mrs. Hwang is thanking me again for agreeing to come and expresses her eagerness to improve her already amazing English skills. She stays at home like many wives in this male dominated society and I am developing a sense of conformist, high development that this culture strives so hard to achieve. Although I admire the discipline of this nation these notions to a westerner who values freedom of expression and creativity seems as if they are missing out on the full expression of life. Anything different can be dubbed dangerous here, it is vital that things run smoothly and people seem to be happy with it with their friendly personalities and bland black and white cars. This family is different they are accustomed to dealing with "my types" and don't outwordly show any disapproval although they have asked me not to wear my v-neck lower plunge shirts, and I have learned to clumsily remove my shoes in tiny crowded, narrow entryways so as to maintain the sanitation of a room.

Full families here crowd into small apartments, yes it's city living but when one considers that children remain in the family home until marriage I imagine that the space becomes very cramped after a while. Religions vary and many Christian, Catholic,etc...churches dot the vistas and can be pointed out by the glowing neon crosses atop the roofs. Gave my mom an overseas ring from the patio, she doesn't feel any further away now than she did while I was living in San Francisco area, I like big coastal cities, I like people moving like schools of fish, events, ethnic diversions, lights and noise. It's my age, twenty years from now I'll crave the peace I once had in the Rocky Mountains of Idaho and my lovely home of Boise. Now I'm energetic and world-minded and soaking in cultures like a sponge.

We went to a gym today to watch the kids in swimming lessons, which was also very regimented and children are pushed even here to succeed. Mama and I sit on the second floor up behind a large window on a running track to watch. Old gym equipment, by American standards, such as the classic vibrating belt that we recall 50's housewives advertising are used by individuals in conservative track suits. One says with pride here, in no exact phrasing, that they live vicariously through their children. If one's child does well in school it is as if they themselves have earned the A grade, also the shame of failure falls upon the parents and homework, lessons and self betterment dictate the day.

Subway is packed but so very clean, I'm still getting those curious and not always friendly looks as I board. Trying to understand the importance of keeping such a strict lifestyle reveals a country badly battered after the Korean War, further threatened by their other half country, and without any natural resources they rely solely on the people resource. Developing a strong educated and driven popluation force all after one cause, constantly competing to stay on top of everything, they believe this will allow them to survive.

US miliary presence, noticable by air as in a city with few trees one does notice a prime piece of land in the middle of Seoul covered in trees and nicely spaced buildings. Koreans are two minded, they realize how small they are and the threats that exist, and so in feeling vulnerable they are happy to have American troops stationed here. On the other hand military men here are viewed as disrespectful and Koreans would be happy to do without them were they able to do so. My presence is viewed similarly but with more openness and smiles and I learn that many individuals will happily teach me Korean as a means to further their English skills free of charge, they are curious about my culture and understand the global importance of obtaining a solid grasp of my native tongue but also see me as a threat to the post confuscionist way of life that remains in the minds if not the immediate environment of South Korea.

Night is on and I've learned to scribble my number characters 1 through 10 and attempt to manipulate korean greetings. We've had our dinner with Kimchee, a cabbage side dish with a mix of unknowns and a spicy red pepper paste. Made our run to the market and viewed the adorable and cheap stationary, stopped to watch a live squid needlessly bonk his head against a tank lid on a street corner as unbeknownst to him he'll be lunch sometime this week. Tommorow is another day, more rice to eat and guiding myself through a city where I can read one in ten street signs and have much yet to learn.