Last Post

...from Korea.

I'm leaving in 35 minutes to board a plane to take me back to the US.

This whole thing has been...

...intense. 

I need a while to process everything, but I'm looking forward to going home, seeing Ingrid, my parents, my sister and my cat.

And eat an entire box of Cheez-its.

This blog thing has been tough, but I hope you enjoyed reading the first part of my big adventure.  I'm off to Minneapolis next to intern with Urban Ventures, an inner-city ministry.  I hope you find the time to keep reading!

Much lo-

I mean, Ahn-yong has-eyo!

---CJ

Dear Tyler

Dear Tyler,

I did in fact meet Moses Chung.

Let me explain:

We were in Pusan City and we were eating raw fish and live squid around a line of tables.  I was towards the end of the table, and Moses was towards the head.  Suddenly, I hear Hannah Watters (who is sitting near Moses) say, "Tyler Nesper?"

Instantly, I am like, "WTF, mate?"

Moses looks down at me, "You know Tyler Nesper?"

I drop the raw fish product out of my gaping mouth.  "YES!  How do you know him?!"

He then went on to explain how he knew you and we talked about you during your Freshman year for a while.  Not much of a story, but what a WEIRD, SMALL WORLD, eh?

The proof?  I guess Moses already told you.

---CJ

Bad News

I'm back from my exausting week-long trip around South Korea. It was a lot of fun, but I unfortunately lost my wallet during the week.

Luckily for those of you that know me, I kept most of my cards in my pocket, so I didn't lose my credit card, my driver's license, or bus pass.

I did lose my international student ID card, my ATM card, and some money.

Bad news bears...

Luckily, I canceled my ATM card and my student ID card won't be good for much. The money is just money... still, what a sucky way to end out the trip, huh?

Anyway, the rest of the trip was great. I'm super tired, but I wanted to tell you all that I'm super excited to come home and see you. In three days.

Peace,

---CJ

Pusan

Hey everyone,

I'm sorry for the lack of posting as of late; we've been on our end-of-the-program tour of the country of South Korea, and I haven't had much time to get on a computer. Here's the skinny:

-I tried live squid and fish eyeballs at a resturant in Pusan City. It was pretty good, except the squid's tentecles kept on sucking to the roof of my mouth as I ate it.

-The group stayed at a Buddhist temple over night last night. We joined the monks for morning worship at 3 AM and then learned about Buddhist culture and religion. We even experiences some meditation and learned how they bow. It was an intense time, and I really enjoyed it. It was located right in the middle of a national park in SK, and so the beauty of the mountains was breath-taking. I'm not going to become a Buddhist any time soon, but it was interesting to talk to them about what they believe and how they live out their worldviews.

-The bumps are back. I think, and this is a big "I THINK", but I think that the bumps come from eating some sort of fish. We ate lunch at a church in Pusan and I unfortunately developed a serious case of red bumps on the undersides of my arms. When showing it to Dr. Shim, the conversation went like this:

Me: Dr. Shim, look at this food allergy. I think-
Dr. Shim: That's not food allergy.
Me: (suprised) What?
Dr. Shim: That's the early stage of HIV.


Hardy-har, har, Dr. Shim. What a jokester.

Anyway, I'm just going to let it fade out now.

That's all I have for now, see you in a few days (literally),

---CJ

1000 Person

Whoever the 1000th person is that visits this blog...

COMMENT!~

Not a lot of time to talk, because I'm leaving for Pusan City in half an hour and I haven't even packed, but I wanted to get you all some pictures before I left.  I'm excited to go to Pusan, because it's the city I was born in.  I'm not expecting anyone to welcome me or anything, but I think it'll help put some completion on my big adventure.

Here's a picture of the group in front of the Han river.  The sparklers are for the Korean holiday (I'm not sure which one).

This is me and the pottery master trying to make traditional Korean ceramics.  Unfortunately, I had no idea what I was doing.

While this is an ordinary looking photo, it actually is a photo of the group of us in North Korea past the DMZ line.  We had to take a picture in this building... or else be arrested.  It was intense.  We also saw some North Korean tourists leave the building before we could get near.

Me at the B-boy concert.  Looking the opposite of ghetto.

Peace out everyone,

---CJ

Update

Whew!  These last few days have been crazy busy; I get done with each day and go straight to bed-regardless of what time it is.  I haven't had a whole lot of time to process it all.  I realize that most of you don't know what my daily schedule is, so here's a simple breakdown:

7:00 AM-Wake up for showering, etc.

8:00 AM-Breakfast

9:00 AM-Class on Korean Culture

12:00 PM-Lunch

Afternoon/evening: Excursion/Field Trip into Seoul

11-12 PM: Bed

I realize that it's more specific in the morning, but each afternoon and evening has been pretty different thus far.

Two nights ago we went to a show called Ballerina Meets B-Boy , this crazy theatrical performance that is nothing but non-stop breakdancing for an hour and half.  I was hesitant at first, but after seeing some of the stuff these people could do, I forgot all about my reluctance to go to the show.

Last night we went to the house of representatives and then to the largest church in the world.  It wasn't a fantastic afternoon, but pretty educational.

I've got to go make breakfast now. Peace out everyone!

---CJ

I Won!

YES!

I can't wait to get home and try it out.

Bullet List Time!

Here's a bulleted list of my activities for the last few days:

-I stayed over at Yohan's house for a homestay.  I met his parents and his adorable younger sister (she's six).  It was good times.  Yohan is originally from outside of Seoul in the countryside.  It was about a three hour trip to get there, but it was an adventure once we did.  Jake and I dipped our hands into the mud of the Korean West Sea, ate a grub (like... a small worm) that evidently is considered to be "very delicious" (it's not), and sat through nearly 8 hours of church.  Yohan's a nice guy, he gets frustrated really easily because of his English, but he's the only one that tries to make actual jokes, so that's something.

-We went to the South Korea vs. North Korea national soccer game.  Suffice to say, it was a blast.  It ended in a tie, but I still had a great time.

-We spent most of our day shopping.

-Two nights ago we went to a traditional Korean music performance.  It was actually pretty entertaining.

-One night ago, we went to a show called "Nanta", a fushion between a comedy and a STOMP-esque performance.  It genuinely laughed throughout the entire thing.  It was great.

-I'm not too homesick anymore.

-I am, however, finding it difficult to adjust to the transition back to traveling with a group.  Everything goes slower: traveling, making simple choices (where do we eat?), and even getting a metro ticket.  I got pretty frustrated today with everyone; ironically I meditated this morning on the peace of God and how I can bring that to fruition.  I guess I have a lot of work to do...

-That's all.  Everything else is going well.  Bye for now!

I'm in Love...

I think I've fallen in love with the Nikon D40.  I've been looking at purchasing one since my trusty Vivitar broke on me earlier this summer, and I've been thinking about a Digital SLR for longer than that.  Luckily, Hannah, the girl in the picture with me and the robot (I'll let you guess which is which), owns a D40 that she let me try out a few times over these last few days.

I'm not sure I'm capable of taking a poor picture with it.

Stupid blogger software won't let me give you a good resolution to view these pictures at, but I thought they turned out alright.  I'm going to probably buy one of these bad boys right when I get home, or maybe even before that.   One thing is for sure: I could definitely use one for art/graphic design/awesomeness.

A hardcore Korean guard from a weapon demonstration.  Notice me trying to look hardcore.  How sad.

Water glasses.  Amazing that her camera makes these even look good.
Ha!  Starbucks, I have infiltrated your stores and snatched a picture.  
Figurines in Insadong.

(continued)

The man, Dr. Shim.  What a kooky dude.
Chris.
Yohan.

Tired...

Folks,

Sorry I haven't gotten up to updating this in the last few days; it's been super busy and I've not had a lot of time or internet access.

I've taken a lot of pictures and will post them within the next few days.

I'm doing fine.  Everything is going well.

---CJ

Bumps

Dear Tyler,

I can't prove anything to you, unless you want to read the receipt and report I got from the doctor's office. As you might remember, my camera was damaged in an unfortunate accident involving some apple cider, and wasn't working as of the date of my bumps. I had a replacement camera, but it couldn't pick up the tiny red bumps on my arms.

Also: by the time you responded to my blog, the bumps were pretty much gone. Allergic reactions (especially when blasted by radiation on a daily basis) disappear within a few days of whatever consuming the offending food.

If you would have asked earlier, you might have caught a glimpse.

But... you didn't.

Your friend,

---CJ

Study Abroad!

Hey everyone!  Above is a picture of me and Lori, the one child I hadn't gotten a picture with yet.  I don't understand why all of the children in my pictures look so sad; they're never that sad when we're actually doing something fun (unlike taking pictures).  Anyway, I'm smiling because a certain someone insisted that I smile in my next photo.  So here!

Study Abroad

Today was the first day of the study abroad.  After a rousing breakfast of eggs and toast, we went to our first introductory course on Korean culture.  It was fairly boring, but we soon set out for the Korean National Palace.  This restored-palace is the nicest of all the palaces in Seoul (who knew there'd be so many?), and is accessible only through guided tour.  Dr. Shim made sure we knew that.  

Here is a picture of me standing in front of the palace throne room thing where the king resided.  Eat your heart out, Mulan.  And Laura Beth.  

A picture of our merry group.  Some of you might be wondering where Hannah Watters is.  Well, turns out that the floods of Cedar Rapids were a little worse than we all thought, and she's going to be joining us tomorrow night (although really, she'll be so tired we won't notice her for a few days)!  

Other than that, nothing else is really happening.   I'm feeling pretty homesick right now; I can't really explain why.  While we were in the national museum, I just sat down and missed home.  I mean, I'm having fun, but seeing the new-ness of Seoul on the faces of all of the people here is proving to be too overwhelming.  I'll get over it though; I'm not the sort of person to dwell too long on one thing like that.

Okay, that's all I have.

Much love,

---CJ

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Book Two

I read Dean Koontz's Frankenstein last week, although I never got around to telling anyone about it. I wonder if it's because I'm ashamed that I would read such campy stuff. Anyway, after reading the first part of this trilogy, I became somewhat interested and picked up the second book to read. That was two years ago. This summer, as I was packing away some books, I wanted something I could read in the plane, so I grabbed this one.

It's not a great book, really. But then again, I don't think it aims to be a piece of literary genius, either. I'd say that it did what it set out to do: entertain me without thinking much. Like watching TV.

Still, I've reported all of the other books I've read thus far, so I should tell you about this one too.

The basic story is that Dr. Frankenstein and his monster are still alive and that they are waging war against each other. On the one side, Dr. Frankenstein is creating armies of genetic monsters to destroy mankind. On the other side, his monster is trying to take him down-teaming up with a pair of lover cops in the process.

I'm embarrassed. I can't type any more.

See you later!

Final Full Day

Today is the final full day of my epic first-half adventure in Korea. Tomorrow I will start the study abroad program with the students from Dordt and Northwestern. It's a bittersweet affair; I'm looking forward to the change, but I really have enjoyed myself over this last month.

Last night Dr. Kwon and family took me out to an Italian resturant and we had a great time. At one point in the meal, Dr. Kwon told me that they consider me to be part of their family. The more I thought about this (obviously) very gracious statement, I realized that something strange has happened.

One of the biggest questions that I got before I came to Korea was: "do you want to find your birth family?" To which I would respond, "It'd be nice, but I don't expect to." And I was right. The Holt people tell me that they probably won't be able to find my mother this summer.

But it turns out that I have found a family that I have come to appreciate, learn from, and (in some small way) consider to be mine. I imagine that if I ever do meet my birth mother, I will never connect with her in the same way that I've connected with these people. It truly has been one of the most unexpected good things to happen to me while I've been over here.

Anyway, tomorrow is a day of change. I'll let you all know how that goes.

---CJ

The Zoo!

(pictured above: getting ready to leave in the van!) Today we went to the zoo! I helped watch the preschool class as they adventured to the children's zoo in downtown Seoul. Below are some pictures.

The girl who is looking right at the camera with the pudgy legs is less than two years old. Her mom figured she should get a headstart on early childhood education, so she's offically a student in the preschool class. She gets a lot of special treatment, because, well, she's less than two years old! But she's usually pretty upbeat and ignorant of her surroundings.

Watch as the children (and teacher) feed the monkey next to the sign that clearly says (in English!) don't feed the animal.

This is Jun-ya. I swear to you, he was smiling before we took the picture. But then the camera came out and he got sad. The kid doesn't like posing, obviously.

That's all. Not a lot of text, but I hop eyou enjoyed the few pictures!

---CJ

Commenting

Goodness gracious Ken and Amanda, I never saw how much you two posted in my past posts...!

ART!

After fiddling around with my camera for about half an hour, I figured out how to take photographs, provided that I have adequate lighting and a lot of time, so here is some art that I've done in the last two days!



Seri has a McDonald's toy Jazz from the movie Transformers, and since I hadn't ever drawn a transformer before, I figured I'd go off of that for a reference and fill in the blanks. It turned out a little more stout than I imagine Jazz being, and some of the perspective is a little wonky, but I think it turned out alright.

This was one of those pictures that I just get sick of working on. I got about 3/4 of the way complete, and I was really tempted to just quit and start a new picture. I'm still not sure if it was worth it.

This picture was inspired by waiting at the bus stop. Not a whole lot to say about it, really.

Heath, here is that picture of Wolverine and/or Nightcrawler you asked for at the beginning of the semester. I just can't make a more serious looking picture for the life of me; I don't know why! I'll be sure to give you the original when we see each other again.

That's all for today; I'm off to go read with James and Sean.

---CJ

Poisoned!

Doctor

Well, this morning I woke up and Dr. Kwon, in her own sleep-induced stupor, told me to get some pants on because we were going to see the doctor.

We walked the few blocks downtown and went to see a dermatologist about the little red bumps on the underside of my arms, right below my navel, and possible on my legs (although we haven't yet confirmed that those red spots are new). She asked me a lot of questions ("Did you touch any strange plants/Did you come into contact with anyone new?") while her nurse took notes. Perhaps the most (to me) absurd question was, "Did you eat any new foods or develop any new eating habits?"

No, I've always had kim-chee three times a day.

Anyway, the nurse took me to the back room, soaked my hands in bright purple water, and then gave me a shot. In the butt. She looked very embarassed to have to mime to me that she had to give me my injection there, because she couldn't just tell me in Korean...

So now the doctor officially thinks that I've eaten something strange, because if it was an outside allergy (from the yellow dust, for instance), I would be itching. I'm not supposed to eat any new food for a while, and have to continue treatment for the next few days. Including the shots in the butt. Sad day indeed.

Shirts

On the bright side, I was drawing a picture last night and Dr. Kwon came into my room with two new shirts from Bang Bang. I think she felt bad for ruining my white polo shirt with a red t-shirt, despite the fact that it was my fault. Or she thinks my clothing style is gross. Anyway, I have two new shirts now. Score.

Art

I have a few new pictures (including one for you, Heath), but I have no camera! I'll try to track something down here in a little bit...

Peace!

---CJ

(EDIT: I realized that I made a reference to the "yellow dust" in this post. For those of you that don't know, the yellow dust is dust that comes from the gobi desert. It mainly affects children, but foreigners have some trouble with it, too.)

Bumps...

Are getting worse.

I'm breaking out in small red bumps all over my body now. It was just my underarm at first, but now they're spreading.

I might need to see a doctor or something.

*eep*

(Don't worry; it doesn't itch or anything... it's just sort of gross looking.)

---CJ

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

I didn't tell any of you this, but I finished "A Hearbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by David Eggers last week. I'm still processing it, but overall I enjoyed the book. It wasn't a great book; it was no better or worse than many of the other autobiographical memoirs I have read in the past, but it did have a few points of interest.

Eggers uses some pretty smart and witty rhetorical devices to keep the readers attention. The best part about the entire experience of this book is noticing how self-aware he is. A clever comment here or there to keep things fresh and to change perspective are all I needed to keep reading this somewhat lengthy book.

I'm not sure that I would suggest it to you, but if you're interested in reading about the life of a twenty-something in the early nineties trying to raise a pre-teen boy, then this book is for you.

CJ Tries Something Korean: Dried Squid.

Dried seafood is all the rage in Korea. This (I think) stems from the fact that there was at one time no way to refrigerate food, and so drying food was the next best solution to pickling them (hence, kim-chee). Everyone developed a taste for it, and so they kept it around.

I picked up this little beauty in a convenience store in the Gangnam underground shopping terminal.




Upon opening it, I was at first really scared. How disgusting sounding, right? But then again, so is beef jerky (or elk jerky, for that matter), and so I opened my mouth, grabbed a few of the tendrils with my teeth and chomped down.

I nearly vomited.

I have not, so far, found a food in Korea that I have not been able to choke down and smile. I mean, sure, some kim chee is pretty bad. Some soup is pretty hot. But this... this... squid thing, is without a doubt the most disgusting thing I've ever put in my mouth. I spit it out almost immediately. Dr. Kwon was offended. Dr. Lim laughed, because he hates it too. I am embarrassed.

For the record, fresh squid, cooked squid, and even jellyfish taste MUCH better than this stuff.

final score:
-1000000/5

Update

Bullet point update time (because I have little time):

-Went to the Seoul Internation Film festival last night. Saw two movies, one of which was one of the best films I have seen. It is called "Wellness." I am so hip.

-I am having an allergic reaction to something and I have red bumps all over my arms. Eep. I hope I don't choke on my tongue.

-I have art, but no camera. Sad day.

-I have no camera. Sadder day.

-I will post more later. Peace!

---CJ

CJ Tries Something Korean: Miz Black Chocolate Cookies

I was in the local convenient shop the other day and saw this box of cookies sitting on the counter. I picked it up for 500 won and brought it home. The phrase on the box says, "Hope you enjoy these delicious mini chocolate cookies." I hope so too, because they look like dog food.

But you know, they aren't that bad. It's a small bag, but for such weird looking cookies (more like cereal than anything), they taste really good. It's sort of like eating the Oreo part of an Oreo McFlurry without the ice cream. Or the frosting. But the chocolate cookie part, that's for sure!

Final rating:

4/5

Sorry!

I just noticed that my last post was over three days ago. There really isn't an excuse for it, I just got busy. Or rather, I didn't get busy. I was so overwhelmed with the mundane that I hardly had anything to write about... so I didn't. Beyond finishing James Patterson's Cross, and moping around the house for a few days, I did some publicity writing for a few friends, tried to tie up some loose ends here and there via e-mail, and slept. A lot.

But I'm back. Without a camera, but I'm back.

Today was an excellent day. I woke up this morning and Dr. Kwon asked me if I wanted to go with Jun to the Korean Folk Museum. I know, I know, it doesn't sound that great. But since today was Memorial day and I didn't have any lessons, I figured I'd better get out of the house one way or the other. So Jun and I went to the Korean Folk Museum and the Korean Palace Museum. It was a ton of fun; I learned a lot about traditional culture here, and a little bit of historical information. There were guards dressed in traditional garb, and the entire thing the restored Korean Palace. I wish I had a camera, but the battery was dead. I got off a few shots, but I can't access them until I charge up the battery.

After the Korean folk museum, Jun and I went to McDonalds (where he ordered two super-sized fries and four chicken McNuggets for us) and went to his grandparents' apartment. We ate and I went shopping. I realized that the jeans I brought to Korea are on the verge of falling apart. Literally, I can see my knees through the not-yet torn fabric. So I bought some new jeans from a store called Bang Bang. They're pretty nice, and for only 25,000 won, too.

I went back, had a great Korean meal, and then I went with Jun, Juns' grandmother, and Ceri to the tallest building in Seoul. The entire floor was an observation tower, and you could see practically the entire city from there. It was night and everything was lit up, and we were 60 stories in the air... it was great.

Jun's grandmother invited me to go to a "salt bath" with her and a friend tomorrow. I have no idea what this means. All I know is that she is going to try to make my once-white but not pink clothes white again (stupid red sock) and feed me more food.

That's all I have for now,

---CJ

Water for Elephants

I just finished reading "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. It's a story that takes place within a old-fashioned circus in depression-era America. The story follows Jacob Jankowski, a twenty-three year old Cornell student who drops out of college and joins the circus after his life falls apart. In the circus, he falls in love with a few women and learns a lot about another lifestyle that is full of division, social ranks, and absurdity.

Gruen does some clever things in her writing to keep the reader entertained, and the story isn't terrible either. Unfortunately, I found the "love story" between Jacob and his main woman to be pretty two-dimensional. He loves her but there are complications. We get it.

What the author does succeed at is portraying an obscure setting in a totally believable way. There is little doubt in my mind that the circus of the 1930s and 40s must have really been similiar to what is described in this book. There are dramatic flairs, to be sure, but she claims to have based many of the outlandish stories on actual fact.

Anyway, just thought you'd like another book to read. Peace out party people!

---CJ

What Day is it Again?

Whew! Sorry that I haven't posted in a few days, folks. I just haven't had a chance to get to a computer or nothing interesting happened on either of those days. Regardless, here is a post for today.

Hofbrauhaus Seoul

Last night Mr. Kim and I went out to what he referred to as "the best micro-brewery" in Seoul. The Hofbrauhaus Seoul, a German micro-brewery that apparently has seen it fit to place an obviously European flavored chain in the middle of an Asian country. I don't think I ever got used to seeing Korean girls dressed up in German dresses>. It was a lot fun; we ate delicious homemade sausage and a sirloin steak salad and enjoyed the various ales the place had to offer. I can't imagine the place was cheap... I'm incredibly thankful to him for paying me to meet for English conversation and buying me meals, but also because he wants me to experience Korean culture from an insiders' perspective. The alternative is sitting at the apartment doing nothing, which never sounds fun.

Chris

For those of you that read this blog and know Chris Bergst, he sent me an e-mail today. I thought you might want to read it.

"It is all over!!!!!! We are done! No more pain for me! And I believed you
promised me a dance! I guess I will have to take your word for
it. I woke up May 24th with no pain but have been hesistant to make an
announcment because I wanted to me sure it was all for real. It is...
Good times!"

Chris suffered a pretty major concussion during a soccer practice last fall that took him off of the team and limited practically all of his physical activity down to zero. His brain was bruised up pretty badly, and he lived every day in constant pain. He lost his short-term memory as well. Anyway, if you're interested in e-mail Chris, please feel free to: cbergst@nwciowa.edu

I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

Art

My own Jesus Revolution! On a dinosaur!

James and Sean

James and Sean are two little guys that I work with. We read simple books and they tell me about Power Rangers. Here is a picture of the two of them with me shortly before they tried to jump me and steal all of my candy.

I forgot a title!

Church

I went to church today at Jamshil (the church that Eunices' parents are at). It was a good service, despite the fact that I couldn't understand any of it. Eunice's dad talked about how we should live lives with purpose (I don't think he's read the 40 days book) and use our gifts to further God's kingdom. Very interesting, as it doesn't line up with what I thought typical Korean theology was.

After church, Ken and Elizabeth, the two American teachers I met last week, introduced me to Mr. Lee, the conductor of the South Korean Navy band and also one of the most famous trombone players in the country. I guess he takes Ken and Elizabeth out because he wants to practice his English. Elizabeth told me that when he calls, "We have to say yes." Important guy, I guess. Anyway, we ate beef belly grilled at our table and also had some other very tasty dishes. I don't think any animal belly is "good for you", but it tastes so good.

Bartering

Today I told Elizabeth that I was going to barter in the local market, and I was going to lower the price of something, and I was going to buy it. I was through being a chump. So I strapped on the headphones, put on some Jay-Z and headed down to the Gangnam underground market. I walked into a mens' clothing store, the same one I had been to before, and I started the game.

Me: English?
Old Korean woman: Anyong!
Me: Oh.
Her: Oh! White shirt! [I had previously bough a white shirt from her.]
Me: Yeah! White shirt!
Her: Ah!
Me: Tie!
Her: Oh!
(she shows me some blue ties. I choose one.)
Me: How much?
Her: 10,000 won.
Me: Too much! [I point down] Lower!
Her: [smiles incredulously] Ah!
Me: Lower!
(she pulls out a calculator and punches in 8,000)
Her: Okay?
Me: Not great, but okay.
Her: Okay!

I then proceeded to buy another shirt and knocked off over a third of the price. Actually, she tried to sell me a shirt for 20,000 won when she had previously sold me the same shirt for 15,000 right off the bat. All in all, I got a silk shirt and a tie for 20,000 won. Victory was mine! After that, I asked her if I should wash the shirt in cold or warm water. She tried to sell me a coat. I left.

Below is a picture of me and my conquest:

Art

My friend Joe and I met for dinner last night near the Hankuuk University of Foreign Studies. We had a traditional Korean meal (with delicious soup) and caught up. I met Joe while I was in Amsterdam, and she told me call her up while I was here. I did, and it was a delight seeing her. She is such a gentle person, but very honest and full of something that is almost other-worldly in nature. Anyway, the picture below is courtesty of Joe Bok. The "Alpha" and Nandaemun market are names I needed to remember. I'm going there to look around, possibly for a new camera.

Also featured is a picture that isn't nearly as good, but I did on the subway on the way home.


I also met one of my student's older sisters. They're around 21 and 24, and they go to a local art school. We showed each other our work, and then talked about American and Korean culture. Brett, if you're reading this, they were impressed that I knew so many animes. I told them that you taught me everything I know.

Th-th-th-th-that's all folks!

---CJ

Sign me up...

...for the Jesus Revolution.

Forget irresistable, I want to get on board with an awesome Jesus who rides in a minivan with rocket ships and robots.

TGIF

Dear Eunice,

I met your mother. She is a wonderful woman (and also pictured above). My work at the daycare is worth it because she is so fun to be around.

Beautiful Remembrance

So I teach this student, his name is Matt, and he doesn't know much English. The last time I met with him, I was really frustrated because he was clearly not having any fun, and I wasn't having fun, and neither of us were having fun and it was terrible.

This week wasn't shaping up to be much better, but then his mom came home and she brought the two of us to the Korean National Cemetery. It was a somber moment because we were in a cemetery, yes, but it also was one of the most beautiful places I have been in South Korea so far. The landscaping was meticulous, and the weather was 70 degrees with a slight breeze that cooled you off just enough to enjoy the day. I felt privileged to have visited it.

Pork Belly

Tonight I met with Mr. Kim at a Starbucks, and he told me that the original purpose of our meetings-preparation for an English job interview-was no longer needed. It turns out that he "decided his future" yesterday and took a job with another company. Just when I thought I was saying goodbye to one of the most interesting students I have, he told me that he wants to keep meeting with me and just having normal conversation. What a relief.

After finishing our coffee, he told me that he wanted to "show me how a salary-man [white-collar worker] eats." He took me to this hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the middle of Seoul. The tables have big holes in them, and when you come they put a big grill in the middle of the table. After which they big you a big portion of raw pork belly (thick, thick, bacon) and you cook it for yourself right at the table. It was extremely tasty. The grilled Kim Chee was better, because you grill it below the pork so that the juices can soak into it.

Yum.

We talked about a lot of things: the economy, North Korea, beef, the current Korean President, etc. He also introduced me to a Korean drink: Soju. It's like a weak vodka that is distilled from rice and much, much smoother. Don't worry everyone: I didn't get drunk.

Next week we go to a Korean micro-brewery. Yay!

Music

I am very thankful that I took the time to download some new music before I left for Korea. While I am on my two or three hours of commutes every day I am listening to the following albums:

"Everywhere at Once" by Lyrics Born

"The Craft" by Blackalicious

"Matisyahu" by Matisyahu

"We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things" by Jason Mraz

"All Time Greatest Hits" by CCR

I'm also checking out a few sermons from House of Mercy, which are always enjoyable.

That's all for tonight. See you tomorrow!

---CJ

The Bridge of San Luis Rey

I just finished "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" by Thorton Wilder. The winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1928, the story is of the inter-connected lives of five people who die when the bride of San Luis Rey collapses while they are crossing it.

I picked up a copy of the book in a used bookstore in Lindon, Washington about two years ago, and despite its small size, I never got around to actually reading it. I grabbed it on an impulse for this trip, and I have to tell you, I don't regret it.

This book masterfully connects each character in this book in wonderfully inventive ways that aren't overdone or too stereotypical. If you're a fan of LOST (and hey, who isn't?), then you might understand what I'm talking about. I finished this book with a feeling of hope and it left me thinking in a more profound way than most other books twice its length.

Wilder has been characterized as an "unfashionable Optimist" whose work embodies his "concern with, admiration for and love of human life at its most ordinary..." If this sounds appealing to you, pick this book up. Finally, a quote:

"All, all of us have failed. One wishes to be punished. One is willing to assume all kinds of penance, but you know, my daughter, that in love --I scarcely dare say it--but in love our very mistakes don't seem to be able to last long?"

Full of Food

Sorry for the delayed post everyone.

China Town

Last night Dr. Kwon asked me if I wanted to go with Jun to a Chinese restaurant. I said, "Sure!" thinking that it would be an hour-long excursion to a local eatery. Little did I realize that it would be a forty-minute commute. Instead of going directly to eat, however, we visited Jun's grandparents (Dr. Kwon's parents) and his grandfather and Ceri went with us. We ended up going to Icheon, a coastal city near the outskirts of Seoul.

Apparently, Icheon has a Chinatown like that of San Francisco. We ate at a pretty nice Chinese restaurant. We had typical noodles and sauce, and then went back to the grandparent's apartment. I glanced at my watch. It was already 9 PM. I told Ingrid that I'd call her at around 10 or 11 PM. Hopefully I could get out of there on time.

I knew I was in trouble when the grandfather asked me if I wanted to take a shower.

Turns out that I stayed the night in their apartment, which was nice because they had a complete guestroom and everything all set up and I got to take a shower and spend the evening relaxing. For those of you wondering, I called Ingrid from there and even checked my e-mail.

French Food

The next day Jun and I woke up and had eggs(!) for breakfast and his grandmother took us back to Dr. Kwon's apartment. Unfortunately, the eggs and the stop-and-go traffic of rush-hour Seoul didn't agree with me and I got pretty car sick. Actually really car sick. I went and crashed in my bed for about three hours of fitful sleep. Yay for days that I get nearly 12 hours of sleep...

Dr. Kwon had been up late writing a paper for a Korean Traditional Music conference tomorrow morning, and so she woke up at around 11 and asked if I wanted to go get some pizza. Understand that I have been craving pizza since I got here, and so I jumped at the chance. I was expecting to drive to Papa Johns or Pizza Hut or something, but instead we drove to an area of Seoul where all the French people live. We ate at this nice French place and had pizza and a seafood-noodle dish. I'm continually surprised at how nice these people are!

Eating

While we're on the subject of eating, I should let you know: I eat out a lot here. It's good food, and I'm glad for the opportunities that people give me, but I'd say that I only know about 70% of what I'm eating. Otherwise, it's a total guess as to what I'm actually putting in my mouth. It's good though, and I think I can handle another five weeks of this.

That's all I have for now; I'm off to work in about half an hour and the rest of my night is going to be packed. So... peace out A-town.

---CJ

Greetings everyone! I just wanted to get you a quick update on what's going on: I don't have a lot of time. I'm very tired and need some sleep! The picture above is of me and June, the boy that I'm living with. I was pretty frustrated at our lack of communication at first but it turns out that he has only taken 6 months of English lessons! I am no longer angry!

MOCA

Today I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art here in Seoul.

I freaking loved it.

I always get so charged up by looking at art in a museum or gallery context, like, "I could do that" sort of charged up, and today was no exception. I really enjoyed the exhibits, although I couldn't tell you the names of either of the artists... (oops!)

Their international contemporary art section included a few pieces by Chuck Close and Andy Warhol, but it was the first time that I had seen any of Cindy Sherman or Orlan's work in person. It was sort of disturbing. Also present was an exhibit on Naim June Paik's television work. I didn't get a chance to view that exhibit as much as I would have liked, but I'll be sure to go back.

I couldn't take any pictures (they wouldn't allow it!) but I might try to grab a few when I go back.

Art

I've been trying to incorporate a little more color into my moleskine with a set of cheap watercolors. It works well, but I don't feel like I have a very good grasp of the medium yet. I usually do art while I'm out and about. It's funny; I need water for my paint, and so I usually use the complementary water that coffee shops and restaurants give out. I think the waitresses hate me. Above is some trippy art that doesn't have any coherent theme. The Korean in the picture is a brand of beer I copied off of an advertisement.

This picture was done while enjoying a piece of Tiramisu at a quaint coffee/sandwich shop in the art district on Monday. It was off the second floor, and I just started drawing the shop below. Also featured is a man from the subway and poem about tourists.

I'm exhausted. Going to bed now.

---CJ

(edit: I realize the writing in the poem looks like "erotic." This is not the case. It is "exotic." I am not a pervert.)

The Burning Word

I just finished reading "The Burning Word: A Christian Encounter with Jewish Midrash" by Judith M. Kunst. It's a fascinating look at Jewish method of interpretation applied to the Christian Bible. The idea is that scripture is not meant to provide answers to our questions, but rather accompanies us in our spiritual lives, dialoging with us, and often giving us more questions than answers.

I don't do the subject matter justice, but I really enjoyed this book. It was a little too "devotional" for me at times, but it served well as an introductory text into Jewish Midrash. Those of you that might have a more post-modern theology might especially enjoy this book, as it is a prime example of a, as Brian McLaren puts it, "generative conversation" with another faith tradition.


I'll leave you with a quote:

"Our purpose in reading Holy Scripture is to meet God, meet ourselves, learn how to live. God purposes much more. He wants to use us to redeem the world."


Peace out, party people.


---CJ

Up and Down Topsy-Turvsy Day

Soccer Match

This last week Dr. Lim asked me if I wanted to go with him and Jun to a K-League soccer match. I've never been to anything beyond the Northwestern soccer matches, so I thought it'd be a good experience. We took the subway to the SIFC stadium. They were facing a team from Seoul... but they're all from Seoul, just different districts. Anyway, we were rooting for the yellow team.

The game was very interesting. I've been to a few pro-sport games in my lifetime, and they've generally been pretty boring, but last night's game was certainly entertaining. It was nice to only be there for an hour and half, and the action was faced-paced. I basically learned to cheer when everyone else around me did, but I didn't realize that there were people from both teams sitting around me until the game was over. So I was basically cheering for both teams.

The game ended in a last-minute tie. The crowd went crazy; we thought we were going to lose.

Art District

This morning I was planning on going to the Museum of Modern Art, but Dr. Kwon looked up the information and found that it was closed on Mondays! So she told me to go to a subway station, telling me that there were "interesting things there." I hopped on a subway, took the thirty-minute commute, and ended up in an area that looked exactly like every other district I had seen thus far: shopping, eating places, and street vendors.

"Surely she didn't mean for me to come here," I thought to myself. Imagine my surprise (and luck), then, when I met up with an white guy. I asked him if he knew what Dr. Kwon was talking about, and he told me that if I went around the corner I would find a whole street full of stores dedicated to paper and art. I had found the art district of Seoul.

For the next two hours I wandered up and down the streets, looking at all of the galleries and paper stores. It was a great experience; I really enjoyed my afternoon. Below are a few pictures of art that caught my eye.

I couldn't take a picture of this, but I was amazed by one other thing in the art district. There were so many white people. I apparently had also stumbled upon the tourist hot spot of Seoul as well. Even after having been here for less than a week, I still marvel at a white person when I see them.

Speaking of which: I was in the subway yesterday, and in the crowd there were three American girls right behind me. They were talking about how Korean people don't do drugs and how they think Korean boys are cute (woot woot!) and etc. etc. They totally disregarded anyone around them, because they didn't think anyone could understand them. They said some pretty bold things, and when they got off the train they were totally lost. So I turned around and asked them, "Can I help you guys find something?"

Their shock at my (near) flawless English was priceless. haha.

Camera

My camera broke today.

It has always been a little wonky after having apple cider spilled all over it (long story), but today it completely broke down on me. I'm going to try to disassemble it and repair it, but I don't think it's something that I can take care of.

I'm going to have to buy a new one, I fear.

I am put into the tough position of "I should really have a camera, and I have a little extra cash," to "I can't afford another camera, and I should be wise with my money." I'm not sure what I should do...

Dr. Kwon says that I can borrow her camera in the meantime. I'll probably do that while I figure out my next steps. I have some art for you, but I can't take a picture of it!

Final Things

For those of you wondering, I'm doing great. I'm busy, but it is okay. Living in a city is a big adjustment for me, but it isn't the crime-filled environment that I imagined it might be. Sure, I need to be a little more careful, but I can usually walk around without worrying about ending up somewhere that I shouldn't.

Being in a different culture is a little crazy, but I'm trying to adapt. It drives me a little crazy not to be able to understand anything anyone is saying or read basic signs, but I'm getting over it.

Okay, that's all I have for now.

Shalom,

---CJ