Mid November Update

Been a seriously long time since I've posted on here. Once you get used to things you end up forgetting that there is another side of the world that you used to exist in. I end up not thinking of anything I want to tell people, but I've put together a few things that might be interesting.

Cellphones:
Are used with alarming frequency. Seriously alarming. Your subway pass can be a little charm dangling from the cell you push to the gate for the door to open. Cellphones are total status symbols. A celebrity, rather than being considered a sell out, reaches the apex of success when they are in a cellphone commercial.

Drinking culture:
Is reasonably complicated, and has it's own rules and regs. The structure is of the '1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round' variety. 1st round is generally a restaurant with drinks and tons of food (always meat in copious portions). 2nd round is at a sitdown bar that requires you to also purchase anju, drinking snacks. This can be very tasty, but is sometimes frustrating when all you want is a single beer and you're forced to buy a $8 plate of chicken snacks. 3rd round is off to a club or noraebang (karaoke bar). Drinks of choice are beer (Cass, Hite, OB) or Soju. Mixed drinks are always available, but at a premium. For the economists reading, one beer is generally about 2000 won. Pitchers are of the 2L, 3L, and 5L variety, and are around $9, $11, and $15. The oh-cha (5L) is truly a sight to behold.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears:
I'm teaching the Kinder class this story as a 'jazz chant' skit. I've been wondering, are Mama and Papa Bear having marital difficulties? They're sleeping in different beds. Why does Goldilocks favour all ofBaby Bear's belongings? What is the moral? Don't find preferences you actually like or Bears will come back? Or don't wander into houses with open doors? These questions are keeping me awake at night.

Gangnam and Apgujeong:
These two neighbourhoods are insane. 'Plastic Surgery Capital' of Korea, while there are many attractive faces about, there are a great deal of very obviously altered ones. Lots of new money, flashy cars, and the more monied clubs. Met a Japanese realestate speculator who bought me a drink after I bounced a creep hitting on his girlfriend. He flies to Korea every few months just to party. Also got free tickets to a Big Bang (Some disgustingly sugared but ironically emo boy band) concert by writing our names on a Cass promotional beer wagon.

The gym:
Treadmills are for running, deal with it. 'Hey everyone, look at the crazy white guy running over there!!! Hahaha!!'

I like European exchange students. Also, kudos to my Frygukeen brother. You are a champion, that, will go down in history. That'll do.

Evan.