Last Week

Something happened last week that I had thought would totally never happen. Nevertheless it did. Keep in mind last week was only the second week of October. Also keep in mind that October is the fall. As it is fall, leaves turn color, people bundle up(a bit,)and we use adjectives like; fresh, brisk, and cool. We normally stagger out of bed and peer at the frosty air greeting us before you journey out into the post summer rain on the way to work. Despite this, last week these things we all expect didn't happen. Watch the video and find out what really happened!

In Celebration of our 50th Post and 5000th visitor!

Well, I've been in the business of keeping a positive attitude, whilst saying nice things about people and places for just over a year now. I have also tried to make the most of my paltry photography skills to show some of what I have seen around the the globe to show you that the world is truly a friendly place, and deserves to be enjoyed more. Recently, I have noticed that I have had about 5000 visitors. So to those people, thanks and keep coming back. Interestingly, this will also be my 50th post. So if you're a numbers person, that makes it a tidy 100 people per posting. Not a bad gig.

Regardless in the spirit of hopping the proverbial fence and escaping out into the great mysterious, I have chosen a few of my favorite pictures to share with you of my own experiences over the last year and a piece. I have included people I have met, places I have seen, and food that was consumed in dangerous portions. Thanks for tuning in, Dan

What's Burning?

One of my good pals in Warsaw, Mohamed, who is from Iran, told me that it is forbidden to make outdoor fires in Iran. It's ironic, since he and his other Iranian mates in Warsaw like nothing more than going to various parks in Warsaw and building gargantuan,roasting fires for grilling. Despite the fact that many Poles(Warsawians included,) like to partake in outdoor grilling adventures, I have also heard that it is in fact quite popular to have grilled food with fires in Iran as well. Even though it's 'illegal' in Iran, it's a pastime partook by most law abiding Iranians.

Moreover, even though myself as an American claim to be one of those west coast barbecue savants, I have to regretfully admit that I got nothing on these Iranian grill experts. Where did these guys learn to cook like this? It's a strange notion for me. If somethng's illegal, then in most cases it isn't done. Anyway, it's just a campfire.

So last Wednesday (for some strange reason) I had the day off, and set out with Mohamed to Powsien park in Warsaw for an Iranian grilling adventure. Usually we cook up chicken or lamb concoction, but this time Mohammed managed to procure some minced beef. With the beef he added some curry spice, pepper and egg. When this was finished; he mixed it all up, smashed it together a bit, produced some metal Iranian kebab sticks, then carefully rolled the meat on the sticks. Once on the fire the kebab roasted quite quickly. It was a difficult task to keep the dripping meat on the kebab sticks, since hamburger meat tends to sag a bit when it cooks. Regardless, we managed and to add a little Californian flair we put the meat into tortillas and indulged ourselves in a delicious outdoor feast, while washing it down with strong Polish beer.

Once the food was finished, we built the fire again and enjoyed the warm fire and cold beer while our stomachs digested the meat. After all that was done, we considered it a mission accomplished, threw away our rubbish, hiked down the road a bit and hopped on the 519 bus back to the city. If you're even slightly interested in Iranian/Californian fusion please take a minute to have a look see at my video from Wednesday.

A Warmer Homecoming!

So as most of you dear readers (all five of you,) probably know, last month I went home to the grand ole USA for a sojourn of a month to see family, friends, and partake in a collection of my favorite cultural revelries like; eating Mexican food and burgers, and watching baseball. Yes indeed, I experienced it all. Like all visits out west in the summer I enjoyed the same comforts of home I always expect; great heat, coastal fogs, barbecues, micro-brews, sipping coffee on sidewalk benches of Berkeley coffee-houses, sandwiches, stunning landscapes, bustling cities, cheap clothing, sleeping on my dad’s uncomfortable floor, and the wonderful opportunity to use my native language with anyone who happened to cross my path.

The only difference on this visit was that I would be landing in a different state-Arizona, and to be completely honest I didn’t know if I would like it or not. The typical adjectives that had flashed to my mind were the ubiquitous adjectives like; hot, sweltering, boiling, and crispy. Hot and crispy or not, I was going to base myself in my mother’s beautiful new home (with a pool!)in Arizona first before I headed up north to see friends and family in Cali. So in a nutshell, Arizona was hot-hotter than I imagined. Regardless, I spent a good deal of time in oven-like Phoenix, despite the fact that Phoenix is too hot to bear outdoors in July *, when I did venture outside, I was surprised at how much stunning scenery abounds in Phoenix-especially the sunsets. Anyway, it’s only too hot to handle for one or two months. After that it’s much more comfortable.

What was even more special about Arizona is the amount of parks within a few hours’ drive of Phoenix, which offer different landscapes and historical wonders. Three hours north is the Grand Canyon, which seeing in person is grander than any canyon you will ever see. Just a bit south is the chillier mountain town of Flagstaff, which has a pretty downtown lined dotted with historical looking hotels, shops, cafés and everything else you’d expect from a breezy mountain town. There are also places like Red Rock Park, Sedona, Wupatki National Monument, and Montezuma’s Castle. All of which I was able to visit quite conveniently. In addition to being home to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the state of Arizona is also opens its doors to a handful of MLB teams in February and March who come to get ready during spring training, which makes it a good time to come and watch baseball.

After seeing so many nice things in Arizona, I packed it up and headed up north to see family and friends in California. It was truly great to see everyone, as well as the new editions to families, (who will most likely be too big to recognize when I return.) I did so much that I can’t possible begin to expound in detail. Regardless, I will say I had an awesome time! After about ten days I boarded a south west plane from Oakland back to Phoenix. Back in Phoenix I enjoyed the last days of my much needed summer holiday home relaxing watching baseball, tubing down the Salt River, and eating fish tacos and pizza with the family. Anyway, it was a truly memorable month that in the end made me a tad depressed to see the time come to an end. If you are interested please see my slideshow of pictures from my sojourn home.

Need Friends, Take a Course!

I have always considered myself in some ways an intrepid person; especially when it comes to traveling to different countries and deciding to live there. Actually, maybe it isn’t intrepidness, but perhaps it’s more like a spirit of adventure that directs me to foreign lands-or is it outright stupidity. Who knows? Regardless, whatever it is, the fact is that I am an American living abroad, and have done so for the last six years or so. Anyway, there are many great possibilities offered to individuals in the same situation. The possibility to work, study, travel, drink beer, and learn in a foreign environment is something that is often rewarding for many valid reasons. Despite this,there is one small problem might occur in most situations when one decides to live in a foreign country for a while. For me and for many of us when we live abroad, it is sometimes easy to feel like a loner. No one likes to drink alone. Moreover, If one is not vigilant and fails to take steps to prevent loneliness, one can easily feel like a permanent wallflower and be spectator watching everyone else’s life, while he or she might feel bummed out from not having a social life. I know this because this happened to me in Poland. However, I decided to do something about it.

One good way to escape this situation is to sign up for a course where you are forced to interact with other people. For me, I signed up for a Polish language course at the University of Warsaw for two months. In that time, I interacted with an enthusiastic group of creatures from all over the globe. In the end I became quite good friends with many of the participants-and even learned a little Polish to boot. Because of this course I now have a social life in Warsaw, which isn’t always easy for a foreigner.

Anyway, our group has become like a gang of foreigners that gets together once a week or so and usually share food and drink from one of our respective countries. We have even partaken in a few sunny barbecues with our own local flavors of cuisine and style, and have even made a few city sightseeing excursions on Sundays. I now have a group of friends from China, Iran, Greece, Spain, and The Philippines. For me, learning Polish is important, but getting it down will take some time. Since my girlfriend is busy with her PHD, I need people to socialize with in English. So if you need friends, do yourself a favor and sign up for a course for something and introduce yourself to your new friends.

The Sound of Music

Last week I had the pleasure of receiving an invitation to visit my friend and Polish language classmate Mohammed in a musical performance with the Polish Philharmonic Orchestra in Lodz. He plays a Persian style flute called a ‘ney’, which he was classically trained with while growing up in his native country Iran. Mohammed is a very passionate and rather casual person socially, which can coincidentally be a way to describe the way he plays his instrument.

The ‘ney’ has a very soft bird-song like sound that is very unique compared to most dominating western style instruments. Despite the political struggles going on in Iran, Mohammed carries on with his music in Poland, whilst sharing something more important than political opinions. If only we could all make our ears only hear the sound of music and drown out the rhetoric of political ideology. If you are interested, he will perform with his wife Anna ( who is Polish,) as well as a percussionist, and also with his Iranian friend Mossen who plays an Iranian stringed instrument called a tar (and quite quickly to boot,) next month on the square in Warsaw. So if you are in town you should feel obliged to meander down for a listen.

Please see the video, which is too short to do any justice to the performance. As I didn’t want to offend anyone in the captivated audience, I only filmed a tiny piece of the evening. Please note the final piece by the orchestra is for all of you in Korea.

Coffee-nomics

Recently I had the pleasure of procuring quite an interesting book from a bookstore on a visit to Ostrava (which is in the Czech Republic,) last week. The title was “The Undercover Economist,” by Tim Harford. As I currently stand with only the promise of a teaching job pending the successful approval of my work visa in Poland, I am unfortunately left without any income until I can ‘legally’ begin work. For this reason alone of being in an economizing situation in penny pinching times I am left without any options but to learn about economics-and am afforded no other choice but to shell out the 290 Czech crowns demanded for this overpriced paperback. Armed with an attractive new paperback, with an appealing cover of a coffee cup on it, I proceeded to skim through the first chapter which is coincidentally about my favorite thing that isn’t economics at all-coffee!

I was quite fascinated at not only how cheap coffee is to make and produce, but also how easy it is for coffee shops like Starbucks, and Costa Coffee to be so successful at nickel and diming their customers. The author claims that the price for a typical cappuccino in a coffee shop at one of the busy tube stops in London is roughly One Pound Fifty (about three US dollars, but mind you this is the center of London not Milwaukee.) If you were heading to work on Monday morning in hectic London, and you weren’t able to get any caffeine into your sleepy department of human of intelligence called a brain, you wouldn’t have any problem exchanging a couple of quid for a strong, frothy cappuccino; I know I wouldn’t. Well, actually I would have a problem, but more on me later. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

First of all, if you are tired and need coffee it is commonly accepted that in most situations coffee isn’t something that really breaks the bank. I am not a rich person, although whenever I am with friends I will often offer to pay for the coffee. For me coffee is just one of those things that have never been much of a financial burden. Despite this, What is interesting is that in this book, Mr. Harford explains that actually when a café proprietor in the center of London pays for the beans, buys the equipment to make the coffee, hires employees, pays for rent, electricity and everything else that goes into making your bitter, extra dry cappuccino, will actually cost him or her about 60 pence (about a dollar) to make your drink. That’s almost 200 percent straight profit!

As I am living in Warsaw, which has a bustling population around 2 million and growing, I have become rather daunted by the actual amount of coffee shops competing for business around the city-center. Actually, in all honesty even though they are all technically competing with each other, they all seem to be quite successful coffee establishments. What is also interesting is that drinks aren’t really that cheap here. As I consider myself a coffee drinker, I will usually only order one drink-coffee. For me it’s fortunate as it is normally by far the cheapest drink on the menu. I am not a frills person, and luckily the frill-less drink is normally the cheapest. The cheapest coffee from a trendy coffee shop is around 8 zloty, which is about $2.50. Although, Starbucks is newly open downtown and serves up their drip coffee for 6 zloty-which is about $2.

Anyway, in the book the author adds that the cafes really make money by all of the extras they charge for things. For example if you order a large Americano-how much is that extra splash of hot water really going to cost the proprietor? Or, how much is that little dab of whip cream going to cost? What about the extra little bit of frothy milk you add to make a latte instead of an Americano? Or, what about paying an extra little bit for white chocolate? It happens, just look at the price differences next time and think to yourself if you really want to pay a half dollar more for a little extra hot water? What about getting a small instead next time? *You would probably save 30 percent more!

Since I only like coffee anyway, and in the spirit of economizing, I have recently set out around Warsaw and tried to find the cheapest cup of coffee around downtown. The cheapest I have found (with the exception of the vending machines serving brown water,) is actually McDonald’s. At 4.90 Zl, they are the cheapest. However, they lose points for atmosphere. The most expensive is probably ‘I coffee’ and Costa Coffee (which has free wireless access) at close to 9Zl per cup. The big chain in Warsaw is the ubiquitous Coffee Heaven. You won’t have to venture far downtown to find a Coffee Heaven that’s for sure. Actually, they actually have a small little take out café next to the metro. Their coffee isn’t too expensive, but if you want wireless access you have to pay. Additionally, I regret to inform Canadians that there is isn’t a Tim Horton’s.

300 More Reasons Why Hitler Was a Tyrant!

In September of 1939 Hitler's Army with Russia marched into Poland and occupied it. In a matter of weeks, Poland was occupied by the Germans. For the better part of the next five years the Nazi's occupied Poland. For Poland, a sovereign and thriving nation during the inter-war years was under control of Nazi Germany.

Even worse, the more Poland showed resistence, the greater Germany tightened its control on Poland. As Poland's resilience challenged the Nazi Occupation in the Warsaw Uprising, Germany almost retreated. However, Poland wasn't strong enough to resist the control alone, and alas, in the end, Russia(who had also joined the fight against the Germans,) failed to help the Poles. In the end, Germany destroyed most of Warsaw, and more and more Poles were murdered at the hands of the Nazis.

If you come to Warsaw today you will see that there are reportedly 300* monuments marked as execution sites during the war dotted around the city-center. On a casual stroll last Saturday setting out from the Ratusz Arsenal metro stop carrying my digital camera I meandered down to Novy Swiat and had a stroll through the old town to the old town square. Without a map or guide book I was able to find about 8 such monuments within the span of about an hour. Each monument will tell you on what date, exactly how many people were murdered.

I think the Poles suffered a terrible ordeal between 1939 and 1944, and I think it’s important to preserve this type of history in order to serve as a reminder that peace should never be taken for granted. If anything, history serves as a reminder of the past.


*According to the incredibly indispensable and affordable ‘Warsaw in Your Pocket’ guidebook!

Allergey Season Blizzard

Ever since I was young this time of year(late May) has always proved troublesome when venturing outside. You see, I have the misfortune of being afflicted with pesky seasonal allergies. As many of us share the annoying symptoms of; incessant, uncontrollable, sneezing, and itchy, and sobby watery eyes, it came as no surprise to me to see the culprit of all of this discomfort right before my own scratchy eyes.

You see, in early spring everything is fresh, verdant and in bloom. Early Spring is such a pretty, colorful time of year. However when things begin to dry out, things start to get nasty for us allergy sufferers. Especially in Poland, where in Spring there is a plethora of those dandy little yellow flowers called dandelions. They look so darn pretty when they bloom, however after a few weeks the dry out and decide to leave their flower and blow off around nature and town.

At times in Warsaw, you can see the feathery dried flower blowing through the streets like a snowstorm. You can even see patches of the flower on the ground like a fresh powder. When the wind kicks up, the petals dance and flutter, follow people, end up in taxis, trams, and even buildings. At times it appears that some streets are covered in cotton. It's interesting, however a slight annoyance for us allergy sufferers. At least there are decent enough drugs at the pharmacy and a ready supply of tissues at hand!

A Weekend with Beatless

I think it must be noted that I am not at all a modest person. I'll impart this information to you without the slightest hesitation. Like the words of Ron Burgundy who claimed that he 'was kind of a big deal around here,' I too think I have some interesting things to brag about. For example, I have played the bass guitar for the past twelve years or so, and have been fortunate to play some kick ass tunes in front of a very eclectic range of characters around the world. For that I am of course thankful, but at the same time quite impressed with myself. So please give me a moment to pat myself on the back.

Now, that's done! I also want to say, this weekend I met with a former band in Ostrava (The Czech Republic,)with whom I had the great fortune to play with for over a year back in 2006. They are a Beatles revival band called 'Beatless.' The fact that the two singers are girls can serve as a clue to the 'ess' suffix attached band name (which is from princess,) as well as the fact that the name is a sarcastic play on words to symbolize a lack of rhythm. Although, like the Bangles they got the beat.

The band plays about 2 or 3 times a month around the Czech Replublic; usually in spa towns. They will usually play around 25 to 30 songs in an evening, and I don't think they have ever made a mistake while I played with them. Anyway, I was invited to play with them in Karlova Studanka last week in the mountains about two hours form Ostrava. I came and played about six songs, said 'dekuju moc!' then sat down and took some photos and made a couple digital camera videos. All of which is located just below for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!

The Tastiest Feast Ever!

So in case if you are wondering, last week was my birthday.* I became as old as Jesus. Anyway, in celebration of myself reaching a healthy 33 years of age, me and Justyna visited a Balkan style restaurant called Banja Luka. Named after the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this hidden, lively, boisterous, gastronomic wonder fifteen minutes by tram from the center of Warsaw, is probably one of the best little unknown places in Central Europe.

If you are not a vegetarian, and are not prone to sudden fits of disgust from copious amounts of cheese complimenting those juicy morsels of chicken, lamb, bacon, and beef, then this is the place for you. Although, you should also take note that the portions rival any American stake house! Moreover, as prices for trendy restaurants in Warsaw are quite unreasonable, Banja Luka, is a relatively affordable exception. Go with feta-wrapped in bacon starters, then have a feta-wrapped bacon and lamb skewer with rice and potatoes! Your stomach will regret it, but your taste buds will be in heaven. At least you'll be given a complimentary alcoholic digestive to sort out the digestion before you depart. If you go call me!

*please let me know if you want to send me a gift, i'll forward you the mailing information!


Sorry, but some of the photos didn't manage to come out during the vid...don't know what happened!

A Weekend Roadtrip!

So, being back in Poland in the Springtime is such a treat compared to the frigid cold temperatures back in January. As a reward for one for tolerating such a pesky winter, we(me and my lovely girlfriend,) treated ourselves to a holiday in the relaxing,verdant, sunny town of Bialoweza. Bialoweza means 'white tower,' which in fact the town duly displays overlooking a sparkling lake in the middle of the town park. However, the highlight for most visitors is the opportunity to gaze upon the local Bison, who graze lazily in the local nature reserve just down the road from the ubiquitous white tower.

Once arriving by bus from Warsaw on Friday evening, checking in, and throwing our bags in our room, we ushered ourselves outside to trek on down the quiet, sleepy road in order to grasp a Bison of a different kind. The local beer is also logically called Zubr, which my poor Polish knowledge tells me Zubr is Bison. Luckily there was a cozy penzion down the road where we able to procure and consume a couple of these strong Piwo. It was just enough to make us feel sleepy. Which was good because we had an early morning on Saturday.

Once our phones collectively woke us up around 8 am, we had some breakfast of home leftovers, and set off down the road to catch the bus to the local Bison Reserve. On the way to catch the bus it finally began to hit me how beautiful spring in fact was. Everywhere in any direction I could see a plethora of flowers in bloom, which seemed to reach every hue on the color scale. It was truly breathtaking. Down the road we paid our two or three zloty to view the Bison, Oxen, Wolf, Polish Horse, sleeping Lynx, and other exotic animals who seemed to be chilling out in the sun ignoring the snapping of trigger happy camera packing tourists. Because of the apparent ignorance of the animals of the giant herd of humans taking photos, I began to feel like I was in a zoo; which left me a little disappointed. Regardless, the weather was nicer than it had been in a long while, and the national park we were trekking through was truly stunning. After poking around checking out the animals and bidding them farewell, we set off back to the town on foot.

The walk back for me was the highlight of the trip. It seemed that the entire park was free to explore and photograph. The two of us spent the entire day walking about fifteen kilometers of mostly flat land through the park and town checking out everything from lakes, gardens, houses, to even an interesting open air museum. For me that was the highlight of the weekend; just being outside in nature. Anyway, it was a very productive weekend of photographing, trekking, Bison watching and Beer drinking. Now back in Warsaw sitting in one of the thousand trendy cafes pumping out atmospheric trance music, I seriously look forward to my next outdoor adventure.

Czy mowi pan po angielsku? Do you speak English?

This week I have started the leg work of going around Warsaw in order to establish my life here as a foreigner. Since I have been here only a week, my Polish is pardon the pun; 'unpolished.' For example, yesterday I went to the University to find the building to sign up for Polish classes. It seemed easy enough to find on the Internet, but I in fact had the misfortune of looking in every building at the University until I found it in a decrepit corner nestled behind the music department. The problem was that I tried to speak Polish. After saying 'Czy movi pan po angielsku?' most people replied in English-NO! To their displeasure I informed these souls that I in fact spoke a little Polish and that they could instruct me in their mother tongue and I would probably understand. Because of my decision to speak Polish in finding directions instead of moving on to one of the million other people here who can speak English, it took me half the morning to find a building that was literally in the middle of the capital city of Poland. Anyway, one would believe that I learnt my lesson. Hardly! I continued to press the 'Czy pan mowi po Angielsku?' question around at the hospital, where I received in a steadfast manner that in fact the receptionist didn't speak English. So I bravely tried to explain my curious situation about obtaining the mandatory student health certificate in Polish without looking for an English speaker. After about thirty seconds of another Polish language fiasco, another nurse barked out from the corner:'Go upstairs to the second floor!' With that short chalk talk, I said a cheery 'Dzienkuje bardzo!' and flashed up the stairs. Whereupon I made my appointment confidently in English. After a few hours if pounding pavement, it was a successful day. I managed to enroll in a Polish class, and make a doctors appointment in my own language! Can you get more intelligent than that? I hope not?

The Show Must Go On!

So, it' s been two years of life in Korea. How can I even begin to write about the things I experienced, the people I had the pleasure and displeasure of meeting, the language I failed miserably in speaking, the donuts I consumed. Two years in Korea is a long time as a foreigner and to recount my entire existence as a teacher for two years in a single blog posting is not surprisingly challenging for me. It isn't easy for two reasons. The first one being is that I had such a wonderful time in Korea that it makes me sad just bringing everything to mind. The second, and more interesting reason is that my life here was of course so dynamic. Life was truly a daily adventure. In fact at times I felt like I was inundated with so much culture, hospitality, generosity, curiosity, and a daily life that offered enough challenges to make life seem like things changed from minute to minute.

I must say that however it's overall been a highly positive experience, and if one adopts a very positive attitude, then life as a teacher in Korea can be an endearing experience. Life isn't perfect anywhere, and Korea is no exception, yet walking away in my opinion leaves me with the notion that I should at least say thank you to numerous people, organizations, groups, restaurants, students etc. So that is my intention today. So in no particular order I am going to thank a few souls for making my life here an overall positive experience.

First of all I want to say thank you to the students of Jeil High School. Thank you for being there everyday and making me feel like an important person. Thank you for your politeness. Thank you for your participation, and most importantly thank you for your smiles. You will (mostly) all go far. Thank you for the teachers of Jeil High School for making my life so much easier than it could have been in South Korea. Thank you for all of your support, kindness, free food, patience, and smiles. Thank you to my Taekwondo teachers Haydar and Mr. Baek. Thank you both for being patience with my lack of flexibility. Speaking of patience, I also want to say thank you to everyone at SIFC. You guys were so supportive and I can't thank enough for giving me a social outlet, and for helping me develop as a soccer(football) player. Also, since I was a volunteer for UNESCO, I want to thank O Jeong Mi, for being such a dedicated translator for me during my presentations. I also want to thank Mr. Bahk, at UNESCO for letting me pour Soju for him. Thank you also Canadian Connection for hiring me in the first place. I have to say that I was afraid of daunting task of teaching children, so thank you for giving me an opportunity.

I also want to thank many people in the foreign community for giving me a social outlet. Throghout my tenure in Korea I learned that culture shock is a real thing, and it was great to have so many friends in Suncheon I could get to know. So thanks to everyone in the band; Jesse, Greg, Karen, Dan, Harold, Nina, and Jeff. You guys all rocked and I'm gonna miss playing with you. Thanks to Therese for all of her free dinners. Thanks to my old neighbor Kiwi Dave, for stopping by for coffees. Thanks to Eric for letting me watch TPB, and Liverpool matches in his apartment. Thanks to the boys Alroy, Daragh, Ben, Steve Marshall, Jose, Adam, Kai, Tim, Kevin J. Lee, Alex, Matt, Shane, Corey, B.T, Aodan, Ian, Simon, Mike Thompson, Wrestling Dave, Nebraska Dave and Fraser. It's been great knowing everyone, and I wish you all the best. Actually there was so many great people, that if I forgot you then shame on me, but thanks anyway if I forgot you. Thanks to my girlfriend, whom I am with now in Poland, but since we met in Korea at good ole' Camp England. Also, I had the good fortune to experience life in Seoul thanks to her, so thank you Justyna. Also, thanks Home Plus, taxi drivers, Dakgalbi, Elvis Bar, Speak Easy, TomnToms, Juliana's, Seoul, Suncheon, Busan, Gwangju, Kia Tigers, String Bar, Chunnam Dragons, Kimchi, Soju, Chilsung Cider, Samgeopsal, Gamjatang, The Foreign Food store in Gwangju, Korean customer service, KTX Trains, Korean Express Busses, Yeosu and you.

Thanks to you for reading this, and once again, thank you Korea. Kamsahamnida! Daniel:)

Anyway as the Queen song reverberates 'The Show Must Go On,' I believe that indeed it shall. Someone will take my place in Suncheon, and I think they will do a great job. Also, I will continue to update my blog regularly from Poland for those who might be interested. Instead of all things Korean, I am just going for the jugular and promise to dish out the incredibly misadventures of myself in Poland. I hope you are ready, because I know I'm not.

A Food Lover's Paradise?

I must say that when I arrived in Korea the initial thing I felt when I tried the food was that it was too spicy. It was only a ramen bowl as well. I couldn't even finish it. The only feeling in my mouth was burning pepper. It wasn't only the spice that took me by surprise, the bigger surprise was the fact that the food was spicy in Korea. I had no idea, as most people do when they saunter through Incheon Airport starting a new Korean adventure. Anyway, just so you know alot of the dishes in Korea are really quite spicy, so just be aware before you come here. You might want to do some spice tolerance training before you come here. Maybe try the spicier salsas in your neighborhood taquerias, or opt for a spicier Pad Thai at the local Thai noodle house. However, there are plenty of non-spicy dishes as well. Additionally, if you decide to stay here a while you will be surprised how quickly the body is able to adapt the spiciness. What's even better is that the longer you stay to build a spice tolerance, your knowledge of the different foods available also drastically grows. This means one quickly realizes how much food is truly available in this country, and how incredibly affordable it is to boot. The upshot of this means that you can eat every meal daily in a restaurant, not cook and basically not worry about having to drain your bank account.



When I came to Korea, I only knew a few dishes; kimbap, ramen, mandu. One can not survive on a few dishes alone, so one always turns to what they are familiar with. In Korea, there are a plethora of familiar western food style chain restaurants (like Outback,) that serve up reliable, familiar to the Americana taste bud cuisine. Places like this were a gift from above for me for the first year in Korea, since I couldn't speak or read much Korean- which made it more difficult to investigate new and interesting foods to partake in eating. That all changed over the last six months though. I am happy to say that I basically cut out Outback, and *McDonald's from my diet completely in the land of Kimchi. I even had a dining routine during the week with some friends rockin' different Korean food establishments. For example; There were Dakgalbi Mondays, which is spicy grilled chicken with cabbage and rice noodles, there was also Kamjatang Sunday lunch, which is a potato and pork soup. They are both amazing dishes. Anyway, there are so many styles here that it's difficult to describe in a single anecdote, however, since I am no longer in Korea, I must say that the biggest thing I miss-other than my friends, job, and soccer, is the food.


I think if you are curious about the food here, you should check out my friend Therese's blog. I enjoy eating food a lot, however, she does a much better job capturing the whole food and dining experience in South Korea. So any attempt on my part would only fail in comparison to her blog. So instead of carrying on incessantly, I will simply mention the fact that if you are a food person, her blog is worth a look. I also want to add though is that I am going to really miss Dakgalbi Mondays. I get sad just thinking about it. So I will stop here, but please check out some pictures I've saved.








* I must admit that the Mcdonald's Shanghai Chicken sandwiches are spectacular!

Get Out the Red in Gwangju!

Well, for a creature living in South Korea right now one could state with a high level of confidence that spring has finally greeted us with her warm touch. Sandals once again are the desired shoe choice and the chance to finally don a red Kia Tigers T-shirt with jeans(minus a sweater,) is a welcome added bonus.

Furthermore, the most awesome part of Spring in my opinion is of course baseball. What's even better is that I am fortunate to be in a country whose national baseball team is still reeling in their recent successes with a Beijing Olympic Gold Medal, and a WBC second place finish. As of now Korea is one of many exploding baseball nations in the world. Their team is quite talented, but I wouldn't say they stack up as one of the most talented teams in the world. What is unique about this nation and their baseball is the unflinching amount of energy and spirit the players and fans show. I think it is this mix of determination and their typical 'fighting spirit,' that makes them currently a standout nation on the diamond.

Because of this recent surge in baseball dominance, *it seems that more and more Koreans are coming out to the ball park and exerting some of their energy in support of their local teams. Last week was the opening week, and this last weekend I was lucky to visit two games between the Kia Tigers in Gwangju, and the Samsung Lions of Daegu. Both games in Gwangju were great. The crowd had spirit, and their pitching kept the Tigers competitive on both days-yet their offense lacked spirit and(more importantly) clutch hits that would've given them more runs.

Friday's result: Lions5, Tigers 2, Saturday's result: Lions 2, Tigers 1 (10 innings)

The offensive highlight of the two games was a solo shot from Che hisom,(who's an ex-Dodger.)while the overall highlight was the stellar pitching from the Tigers that kept them close in both games. Anyway, sometimes going to a ballpark to see a game isn't about winning or losing. Anyone who is a baseball enthusiast knows that, and also knows that there is more than a handful of wisdom about enjoying a ball game.

In Korea, the only thing you don't get(** other than hot dogs) is green grass. However, once one becomes accustomed to the lack of real grass in this nation, you can accept the fact that there are other nice things to enjoy here. So in the end you can enjoy coming to a ball game for a fun experience, even if your team doesn't win. So with out further adieu, I am going to give you a list of ten things to check out at a Korean baseball game.

1.) Buy Chicken(usually one for two people-costs about 12,000won)

2.) Get there early and take advantage of the incredibly boisterous cheering sections on the first base side.

3.) Pay a visit to the incredibly affordable souvenir stand! I bought a professional style Red Kia Tigers jersey for the equivalent of 30 dollars!...Get the red out!

4.) Check out the game and pay attention, because it seems like it's easier to catch a foul ball here. I think Koreans have a different style of swing and they are always spraying the balls into the stands. Not that I caught one though.***

5.) For the male audience-cheerleaders

6.) For the kids-a very animated mascot!

7.) The 6Th inning 'kiss' camera! The Jumbo tron screen shows couples between innings and they have to kiss if they are on the screen.

8.) Go with as many friends as you can and take advantage of the general admission style seating!

9.) The games are noisier than in America....much noisier!

10.) Affordable tickets-10,000 won and you can sit almost anywhere you want!

* The game on Saturday was so crowded that there several hundred people who couldn't even find seats, but were at least able to stand and enjoy the game.

** If you come to a game here you won't find a single hot dog stand, what you will find is a plethora of chicken restaurants selling off boxes of chicken with complimentary Pepsi in front of the stadium!
*** During the game Friday I asked my friend if he has ever caught a ball at a game, he immediatley said he hadn't. The next day I asked my Canadian friend Tim is he has ever and he also claimed that he has never caught a ball. I also have never caught a ball during a game. Anyway it seemed at the time surprising that 3 baseball enthusiasts have never caught a ball. Regardless, Statistically it seems difficult to catch a baseball at a game. Imagine an average game having 20,000 people. Well, how many balls are hit into the stands during an inning? Let's say 6 per inning for foul balls, and for home runs- let's say on average 3 per game. So that's 57 balls in the stands per game. However, I think that is quite a liberal amount. It is probably lower. Anyway that's about a 57/20,000 chance for you to catch a ball in a game. Another way of looking at it is to imagine a guy in the outfield who was never allowed to move anywhere. What are the odds of the ball just landing in his glove? I bet it's pretty low. Since there is alot of space in a ball park, and a fan isn't able to maneuver around for a ball, the fan is going to have a high amount of difficulty chasing a ball that is hit into the stands. Anyway, if you catch a home run from Boston or New York, just throw it back anyway! Go A's!

Do March Showers Bring April Flowers?

There's an old cliche back home that April showers bring May flowers. Honestly, I never paid much attention to the expression, mostly because of the fact that I had never been much of a flower person. If you said April showers brings May happy hours, or April showers increases solar power, then I would've shown more appreciation of the fact that a colder and wetter April invites a warmer May.

I think there a couple of things I must state here. First, back home the nature of the San Francisco Bay Area is stunning in its own right, however it isn't really famous specifically for flowers. We have stunning ocean views with crashing waves, towering pine and sequoia trees, jagged mountains, and almost any other imaginable natural setting-yet I can't tell you any place you can go to see beautiful flowers. The second thing, is that I am a typical man. Because of my manliness, I think that I have just assumed that I wouldn't appreciate flowers or anything related to the blossoming world in the springtime. I have always thought of flowers in the spring as a 'girly' interest. I have therefore closed myself off from the aesthetic realm of the power of flower for a large portion of my life.

That all changed when I came to Korea a couple of years ago and noticed the breathtaking scenery of the cherry blossoms in April. It is a beautiful world we live in, and one of the things that definitely contributes to that beauty without a doubt are the lucid white cherry blossoms surrounding cities and the countryside. Additionally, as an added bonus the blossoms come out a bit earlier than one would normally expect. Despite the old notion of an April shower, here we are greeted with Spring bloom almost a full month earlier. The temperatures are still quite breezy and a little uninviting, but not in a way that will keep one indoors. All one needs is a free day, a light jacket, and a 1000 won to hop on a bus to a local temple to take a few snapshots of the hundreds of trees lining the grounds in the afternoon.

Which is what I did last Sunday with my friend Eric. Living in Suncheon in Jellonamdo has a couple of temples both within an hour by the city bus. The easiest to reach is Seonamsa, which can be taken directly from the train station on bus 1 for 1000 won. Once we arrived we quickly bypassed the other tourists piling off of the tour buses and made our way to the temple itself up the hill behind the bus stop. The temple is quite small itself, but the highlight is in fact the sheer beauty of the blossoms popping out of the trees in every direction of the temple.

After firing off about a hundred pictures, we both decided to give our lazy feet a rest and have an ice cream from a souvenir shop. Looking at my watch I had noticed that the month was still actually March. Which meant that, March flowers had already sprung! I guess in Korea March Showers bring just March flowers. There was no waiting or anticipation for anything of the like! The flowers just Sprung like Spring tends to do here. How's that for Korean productivity!

I'll Admit It, I'm Addicted!

I have been sick for six days now. The worst is behind me, but for most of this week I have been annoyed by the fact that I have been having to rely on an arsenal of orange juice, cold medicine, copious amounts of green tea, and bed rest. Being sick is the worst, and I have the recent unpredictable weather to thank for that. Thanks weather!

Saturday seemed innocuous enough. Clear, hopeful skies, and a warm breeze blowing on the soccer pitch before our inaugural game of the season against Mr. Kim's Posco team. The weather; unlike our final match result actually showed favorable conditions. The warm air mixed with running around on the soccer pitch made me quite sweaty. After our actual match, me and some of the teammates decided to chance upon seeing a local K-league match. The Gwanyang Chunnam Dragons play in the same city next to Suncheon where we had our own SIFC match, so it was quite convenient to check out the match. If you don't know this, Korean soccer is actually quite good. If you compare it to the MLS in the states I think that the level of play is quite similar-I would probably even put my money on the K-League teams in taking down the MLS teams(minus Beckham and Landon Donovan).

Since the weather was spring-like, It in fact so nice, I didn't' even realise it would be possible to get sick after cooling down in my post match condition. Therefore I happily jumped in a cab with four other teammates and made the crosstown jaunt to the stadium. Upon arriving, we were greeted by numerous food stands offering up Chinese dumplings, squid, BBQ chicken, beer, and other snacks. Since we had time to kill before the match we found a picnic table outside and sampled a little of everything. Some of us even made it to the souvenir stand and procured some scarves and bandannas to show our dragon 'San Diego Charger colored' gold and yellow.

What is interesting was how cheap everything happened to be. For example our tickets were only 7000 won! To compare; if you want to see the San Jose Earthquakes next week, you will pay a MINIMUM of 35.00$! It's true people in San Jose make about twice as much, but you can still say that the relative difference is double. Yet, thirty-five dollars is the CHEAPEST seat in San Jose. If you go to a Dragons game, you can sit anywhere on the pitch and catch the action as up close as you want.

Once inside, as soon as the match started I started to feel like there was a change in the weather. The morning sun, was soon replaced by a grey cover that was becoming darker as the first half wore on. Regardless, the energy of the small crowd kept us all going till the end of the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw against the Incheon team. Once the match ended, the rain immediately started to pound the seats in the stadium, and we were forced to exit. What was nice however, is the free shuttle buses to Suncheon right outside the gates.

The mix of playing soccer on Saturday and sweating, and cooling down all afternoon, while the rain began pelting my under dressed body is what gave me the wonderfully annoying cold I now have. Regardless, I left that afternoon with the feeling that I have been missing something since I've been in Korea. I really enjoyed the soccer match, and I was so gratified to find out that there was a match going on Wednesday as well. So after one match I had become addicted, so I had to satisfy my addiction last night. So yesterday I saw my second K-league soccer match in six days.

There were no chance of clouds, or rain. That's because there was a cold, crisp, bitter wind cracking like a whip. Luckily, I procured a scarf at the souvenir stand and had some cheap coffee to warm my hands as I shouted on the Brazilian striker as he scored 2 goals and led the Dragons to their miraculous extra time win over the Taegu team last night 3-2 for their first win of the season. It didn't make me any healthier, but it didn't matter. I'm looking forward to the next match on April 18Th!

What You Wouldn't Expect!

I wouldn't consider myself a wise person; No way! The word sage doesn't immediately come to mind when describing myself. There is no advice in the realms of human interactions, financial matters, diplomacy, love etc. that I could even possibly imagine to impart to you dear reader. I have have however always considered myself a curious person.

This notion could even be backed up by stating that first of all; I studied philosophy. It was my curiosity about the big 'what, and why' questions that served as my reason to study this subject. It was a remarkable experience as well. However, no questions were ever answered. Seven years later sitting in front of my trusty IBM Thinkpard and looking back at my existence I can in fact confidently tell you another reason for being an inquisitive fellow is the simple fact that I have spent most of this last decade living in other countries. I guess many folks back home would probably regard me as the token 'expat guy,' or something similar in this nature. Regardless, I believe most of us 'expat guys' normally have some kind of strange inert sense of curiosity about the world, which transcends the more 'mundane' ideals that most people adhere to.

Regardless, As I am not a wise person, I shouldn't be in any position to expound on the nature of curiosity and wisdom to anyone. However, one piece of wisdom that I would like to impart to you is only three words. These three words are only intended for people living in Korea, or for the folks who are maybe considering making a jaunt over here in the not too distant future. So without delay here are three essential words: look both ways!

There is a statistic floating around among foreigners from a book that was published somewhere

at some time in the not too distant past, which states that the Korean roads are one of the most dangerous in the world. I have read some information on the subject, but I am unable to draw up any official statistics regarding the current road situation here. Despite this, I will only tell you to watch out if you are on foot. So even if it can be a bit dangerous, if you listen to the only wisdom I will ever give you ever, which is those three words, then you WILL be fine!

There is something else though about Korea that I quite like. In light of the previous warning that has been loosely issued, I have to say it is also a bit ironic. If you come here you will also quickly notice how many streets are somewhat created for pedestrians. Even in Suncheon there are several districts that are 'mostly,' pedestrian type zones with shops and restaurants blazing with their full neon signs nearly twenty four-seven. Of course there are cars buzzing about virtually everywhere, there are still a great number of areas to meander, poke around, shop and exercise your legs. There are the market streets with fish mongers, fruit and vegetable sellers, clothing vendors, fast foot stands, and even the occasional tarrot card readers can be discovered around town. One could spend a leisurely Sunday poking around sports stores, cafes, clothing shops, or sample many types of interesting, and amazingly cheap street food.

Even in ever moving, frantically busy Seoul there an uncountable number of these enjoyable semi-walking areas; Myongdong, Itaewon, Dongdaemun, Insadong (which is a wonderful area to check out traditional Korean items,) Hyeondae, and Sinchon are all areas that cater to the masses of street travelers. In fact, since the Subway in Seoul is so efficient, it must be said that traveling by foot is bar none the far the best way to travel in Seoul.

So as an unwise person, I can only offer one piece of Advice; in Korea look both ways! The roads are a bit chaotic, and for those used to the rigid traffic laws in North America might feel a bit uncomfortable when arriving here. I am no Aesop, but please take care and look both ways. Also, more importantly; if you come here I guess you could also remember the words written in the great book entitled 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' : 'Don't Panic!' Maybe that's wiser!

No Butts About it!

As I have been residing in this curious peninsula for nearly the last two years, I have been sharing some of my interesting experiences with you as well as making note of all the convivial places I have had the good fortune of visiting. There are many places to visit here as well as fascinating places to see. What is ironic about this is the fact that I have waited so long to see one of the best places in Korea. This place is Busan; more importantly Hayundai Beach!

Busan is about two hours by bus north of Suncheon, with a lively population pushing four million. It hosts one of the largest ports in the world, as well as being the pre-eminent beach to visit for all young Koreans during the month of August, where close to half a million swimming suit and rubber raft clad summer beach goers visit. There is also a famous aquarium housing a variety of displays from giant fish tanks, toothy sharks, penguins and even a pool of cute otters. Thankfully it was only February, and since I managed to escape town on a sunny Saturday, I decided to make the short journey to Busan to see the beach and the aquarium for the day.

Leaving Suncehon at nine am gave me ample time to cruise into the bus station(which is quite far from the beach.) After a punishing fifteen or twenty subway stops, I managed to stagger out of the station on the quiet road that leads directly to Hayundai beach. Just five minutes down the road is the beach, which was a breathtaking sunny day with families, students, and foreigners alike strolling along the sand while welcoming the soon approaching spring. There wasn't too many people, but just enough to give me the notion that I wasn't the only one to make it a beach weekend. I felt like I was back home in California walking along Santa Cruz Beach for the first time after a wet winter. I was so excited I felt obliged grab my camera and fire off a few snap shots. Sadly after coming up empty reaching for my camera in my backpack, I was forced to purchase a low quality box camera from a souvenir stand on the beach (you will see from my slide show at the end of this little anecdote just how low quality the photos came out.)

Anyway, after soaking up a few rays, I walked back up the road and negotiate accommodation at one of the spartan motels in the area. Since it was early, I decided to shower and clean myself up a bit to look more presentable when I visited the aquarium on the beach. The aquarium was curiously crowded, until it dawned on me that it was Saturday afternoon, and since Saturday afternoon is family day in Korea, I realized that it was going to be a cozy aquarium visit on this day. Pushing my way downstairs to the first level I found some lively penguins swimming and hanging out, which was quite entertaining despite having to push through the mass population of kids wanting to touch everything. Further along, the otter pool was even more crowded since it was feeding time and all the visitors were clamouring to see the cute little furry guys feeding. I took this overcrowded feeding time as an opportunity to see the giant shark tank, where the intimidating sharks swim right up to the window, where you can actually stare them down, which I did. I was just lucky the glass was unbreakable.

After about an hour or so of aquarium exploring, I headed back out into the sun and walked along the beach and up through some fish markets and took in the fishy, beach aroma that is typical of the sea. Down along the beach is a small temple and a interesting mermaid stature. As dusk approached I hiked around the bend further where a small quiet cove with fishing boats and a small lookout where you can see a beautiful bridge that looks quite breathtaking at night. I can only relate it to seeing the San Francisco Bay Bridge at night. Unfortunately my wonderful low quality box camera wasn't able to develop anything at night, so I have no pictures to prove how breathtaking the view was.

After my little day at the beach, I decided to try out an Indian restaurant that everyone in Suncheon unanimously regarded(despite the high prices,) as the best place to dine. In my opinion it wasn't just the best meal I had ever had in Busan, but the best non-Korean meal I had ever had in Korea. If you go, don't be stingy and get the Samosa appetizers with your meal, because you won't be disappointed. Anyway; there are no butts about it, if you want a enjoyable beach experience for a day make no haste and come to Busan.

A Glimpse of the Past!

Back home growing up I think I experienced the same folklore that most people of my generation encountered. The familiar phrase 'when I was your age,' was an expression duly noted to myself on many occasions. My father for example never shied away from an opportunity to tell me as a child that when he 'was my age'(I was around twelve at the time,) he was forced to pick up rocks every Saturday for a nickel . Even to this day I am not sure how to interpret this. As I kid I would usually roll my eyes and divert my attention towards the nearest window, however these days I would probably ask him why didn't he just call in sick or something? A nickel might have been a heck of a lot more back in 'those days,' but regardless, nobody picks up rocks anymore!

I think this is similar to the grandfather's cliche of walking in the snow to school; uphill, both ways, with out shoes, or a jacket to boot! The upshot to all of this is that many people believe that our generation is much different in the fact that life has become much more convenient for us. With convenience we can take a bus to school, and do less backbreaking work than scooping up rocks with our hands. With this convenience we humans can customize our lives to suit our personalities by basically doing whatever we want. Because of modernization, we are able to go where we want and survive just about anywhere quite easily. Gone are the days of having walk to school and sustain yourself on your own plot of land.

The irony of course is that humans did survive by sustaining themselves on their own land for many more generations than we have been living in modern mechanized times today. Many of us have flown the coop and will continue to do for some time, therefore living a simple, self-sustaining life in one's hometown will be a thing of the past-or already is a thing of the past. Despite this, living in Korea offers a unique glimpse of former times. This is because there are several folk villages scattered throughout the region, and what's especially nice about these villages is that they are more than open air museums they are in some respect also working, living, surviving villages.

It was also with my good fortune that I am residing less than twenty kilometers from one a famous place called Nagan Folk Village. It's nestled in a valley between two mountains, and is an area covering approximately two or three kilometers. The village is bordered with a surrounding wall, while the inside is covered by thatched roof houses. It was formerly a fortress during the Choson Period to protect themselves from the Japanese. Within the village today many residents are actually living in many of the houses (the roofs are thatched with rice grains, which need to be replaced annually.) There is a ceramics house where the proprietor is diligently creating mugs, plates, and other wares for tourists. There is also an inn where on can sleep.

There are other museum like pieces as well; for example the many totem poles surrounding the site represent many beliefs and wishes, there is an old administrative building recreating feudal times, as well as an entrance area and a selection of souvenir shops scattering throughout the village. So it won't appear as a hundred percent authentic working village, although it is pretty impressive for these modern times. I think Koreans in general believe that home is where the heart is so it is vital for them to maintain these cultural gems. As a visitor I appreciate the fact that at least we can see a part of the past, even if it's only a glimpse.

My visit ended at a village eatery with my cheerful and amusing guide Mr. Che buying me gal guk su(noodle soup with clams,) which was accompanied with a bottle of village made rice wine to drink. After a couple glasses of the sweet, slightly starchy wine, we ventured back to the modern world called Suncehon. Back in Suncheon I found myself immediately thrust back into modern life ordering a latte to wake myself up in TomnTom's hastily forgetting how lucky I am to live in such convenient times.

Riding the Korean Rails

There are certain types of travelers. The most common and even more importantly more successful travelers are the types who manage to plan effectively by doing proper research, and by doing things to maximize their time while spent traveling. The basic idea is that one has only a limited amount of time in a chosen place, therefore one would feel obliged to organize their trip as effectively as possible. I unfortunately usually fall into another category of travelers who don't plan effectively. Because of this I am sure there are many things I have missed during my time spent on this planet. The reason for this is because if I am traveling, I tend to feel like I shouldn't pay attention to a strict timetable. My entire life seems like a timetable, so if I am on a vacation why should I worry about time?

I only say this because there are a couple of great ways to get around Korea. The fastest and most effective way to shuttle yourself from town to town is of course by bus in Korea. Korean buses are some of the most comfortable and affordable buses in the world. In addition as a bonus they are amazingly frequent. When I traveled from Seoul to Suncheon last year, I was able to travel after midnight in just four hours to Suncheon. Without a doubt buses are a surefire effective way to get around in The Republic of Korea.

Despite this, I like to take the train. It's true; the train is a bit slower, has less departures, stops more, and even worse none of my foreign friends seem to take the train so I am always alone in this regard. What I want to impart to you though is that even though it might take as much as an entire hour more to roll into Seoul, the journey is abundantly more enjoyable when traveling. For those who don't have the burden of keeping to a regimented timetable, the train is a wonderful option to get around.

The amenities on a train are quite good to start; there is a small restaurant, with sandwiches, meals, drinks and snacks- there is even a small Internet cafe, and a few video games to boot. Also the windows are large and clean so you can enjoy the picturesque scenery while zipping through the country side. What is even nicer than the bus that you can always get up and stretch your legs and use the bathroom. Since buses only stop once, those with weaker bladders might find a train more convenient. Finally, for those traveling into Seoul will also find comfort that the trains come in right in the center of the city.

Despite the fact that most people will tell you that the buses in this country are better, I tend to enjoy the trains more. For me the journey itself to a destination is an important part of traveling. Although it can be viewed as a childish notion, I have to say then so be it. If it's childish to enjoy taking more time to reach a destination, then let the chips fall as they may, for I will keep doing my thing, because I am that kind of traveler.

The Iron Curtains Are Still Closed!

I have always been curious about North Korea. Maybe it's a part of my nature. The fact that a place can be so closed, mysterious, and mixed with an uncertain element of danger has compelled me recently to attempt to take a closer look. There are books, documentaries, articles and other forms of media which will portray life in North Korea; usually in a frightful, violent, Orwellian manner. I have seen many of these films and am currently reading an ambitious book called:'Under The Loving Care of Our Fatherly Leader,' by Bradley K. Martin. From what I have seen, I tend to believe a lot of that is true. In my opinion it's scary how one man(The Dear Leader,) can indoctrinate an entire society in believing that their people have great lives and the rest of the world is worse off-In spite of North Korea's food and electricity shortages, starvation, mandatory ten year military service requirements, and total media censorship.

Of course, these problems are among the most typically known to outsiders. Other individuals seem to think there prison camps, executions of deserters, and police checks to insure citizens have the right 'thinking.' To me it all sounds like a huge military dictatorship. Isn't that what it is anyway? Regardless of the aforementioned information, to me what is significant is that who really 'knows,' what goes on in north Korea? From what I believe it isn't the utopia that the previous dear leaders reiterate, however iron curtains really keep thinks hidden. To me the more a thing is hidden the more I want to uncover it.

Recently I wanted to visit North Korea. There are groups that arrange visits routinely from Beijing, however the cost is too dear. Too dear to contribute to the(sorry for the pun) Dear Leader's cause. About 2000 Euro for five days to be exact. For that fee you will get a guide/guard, a hotel room, and food. The guide is instructed to keep an eye on you at all times during the day-you can not roam freely in North Korea. Anyway, I'm saving my change for my potential graduate education soon, so I opted out of the Pyongyang experience. Instead I decided to take a day trip to Panmunjom settled in DMZ area between the two Korea's.

You can arrange from one of a plethora of tour companies in Seoul a day trip to Panmunjom and around the DMZ area for around sixty dollars-including lunch. The buses depart in the morning from Seoul to make the 60 or so kilometer journey north and then return around 3pm. The DMZ area is 155 kilometers long and four kilometers wide. It stretches two kilometers into South Korea, and the Same in North Korea. Panmunjom is right at the edge of the wide part of the DMZ poking into North Korea.

From there in my opinion was the highlight of the tour. There is a lookout where you can watch North Korean Soldiers watching you. As my camera targeted one soldier he immediately turned his binoculars in my direction. It was this little reflex that made me feel a bit that this wasn't a game for them, in spite of the fact that I was just a silly tourist.

As the tour continued we stopped at another lookout and saw Kijungdong, which is better known as Propaganda Village. This is a village built by North Koreans, which is supposedly completely vacated, but was built to appear as a attractive, desirable place to reside. Nestled in the center of the village is the massive ubiquitous flagpole, which is touted as the highest in the world. Other stops included; the introductory slide show showcasing the history of the region, The Bridge of No Return(which was were the PO W's returned to their native country,) and signing waivers acknowledging that the tour group was not liable for my shooting by pointing at North Koreans gestures.

Finally I had lunch with my group of fellow tourists(whom were all Japanese.) I was given my own bulgogi pot, while the others feasted together. It felt like another typical lunch as a foreigner traveling alone in Korea. Regardless, the food was good. After that I went back to Seoul and had a nap-which is the best way to end a good day. To conclude, it's true that I really didn't see 'much' about North Korea on this trip, however it did become apparent that Iron Curtain was still closed. What I wonder now though is if the curtains will eventually rust and deteriorate? What will happen then?

Please watch my slide show from this experience!

Something New

I have been experiencing cultural overload the past few days. Currently I am holed up in my motel room in Seoul like a recluse trying to figure out how to impart to you the chaotic past few days that the proverbial hourglass of life has been burning away. I am torn between obliging myself to rest or to share some of my experiences with you I have partook in over the past month. In a way it is great, since sometimes I feel hard up for topics to expound upon (I wrote about food courts once,) and recently I have been feeling backlogged of things to mention. These days this is definitely not the case. After returning back from Poland after a relaxing vacation, I thrust myself unexpectedly into foreigner tourist mode in Korea quite quickly. Mind you I'm still jet-lagged. Most normal creatures would still be recovering from their long journey; not me. Anyway, because of these exhaustive past few days, I am going to give my brain, and body a break. I'll expound on many of the exciting things I have done in Korea in the next few days. Regardless, I am especially excited to share with you something that I have been experimenting with recently. This is a slide show of photos from my trip to Poland. So please enjoy and leave positive comments!

There's sound too!

Enjoying Poland, But a Couple of Things I Miss about Korea

On Thursday I found myself short of funds so I intuitively reached into my secret luggage hiding place and seized some traveler checks that I had procured in Korea in order to exchange for some Polish Zloty. * Because of some befuddling reasons foreigners aren't allowed to use their Korean Atm cards outside of The RoK, I guessed it would be simply be a much of a muchness to transfer that same amount into checks. When it came to going on vacation with traveler checks I didn't have any problems. It had worked in Thailand, and it was problem free in Japan-and I even managed to receive an even exchange in sunny Cambodia!# However; just an FYI, that if you come to Poland with travelers checks, you'll either becloud the exchange agents and bankers or just get sent back out into the cold from where you came from.

When it finally did become apparent that I had found a place that was able to exchange my checks, which was in the main bank in the center of Warsaw, I was given a number and instructed to wait. I was used to waiting the ususual four or five minutes that is required in Suncheon. Furthermore I was expecting to be offered a free yoghurt drink by a pleasant bank clerk. Alas, neither of those possiblilites were the case. However, what I was verily expected to do was wait, and wait I did. After about thrity minutes the clerk hesitantly called me to her kiosk and glanced at the three hundred dollars in checks I had placed on the counter. She asked to see my passport, and then in the manner of a Vogon checking prisoner release forms instructed me to fill out some information on some dotted lines, which chewed up another half hour or so. When this was completed, some tidy little stamps were place on each document, which required my signature on each form. After signing, it was time for the signature inpsection on each piece. In completion of this step, I was told to write my home address. When this was completed, the clerk disappeard-with my passport. When she reappeared, she dutiffuly returned my passport, but disappeared again. Glancing at my mobile phone I noticed it had been just over an hour since I arrived in the bank.

When she re-reappeared she promptly gave me a sheet of paper with the exchange rate on it, but no money. However, she quickly instructed me to go to another window. I assumed that's where I would receive my money. Which was actually true. After an hour and ten minutes I exchanged my travelers' Checks. It was an even exchange rate to boot! So, if you come to Europe, I think it is best to use a bankcard, or cash. Even though American Express says 'don't leave home with out it,' you should leave the AMX Travelers Checks at the bank back home-or be prepared to spend much more time in a bank then you would in Korea-without yoghurt drinks!

Please don't think I am having a lousy time in Poland. In the end I was just pleased to get a fair exchange rate and be able to practice my Polish in a natural setting. It was so cold outside anyway, and the warm bank was a cozy place to duck out of the snowy, sloshy streets of Warsaw. Besides, when you are on vacation waiting isn't such a dilema. Anyway, it was cold last week. So cold in fact that I was completly unprepared by not actually packing long underwear. I never wore long underwear around in Korea. By not doing this I forgot how cold other parts of the world can actually be. Now that I have procured some, it isn't an issue, and the daytime tempratures are actually nearing zero! Since things are starting to warm up, I think I will saunter outside a bit today instead of looking at the days pass from inside.

*I have never really appreciated this law against foreigners. to me it seems a bit strange that those who are working legally in a country aren't able have the same monetary rights the locals have. Despite this being a positive blog about Korea, I thought it was necessary to write about in this entry since I wanted to explain my reasons for requesting traveler checks in the first place.

#It wouldn't take a genius to see that the above mentioned countries in the paragraph are all Asain, so I should have therefore done some research before I came to Europe instead of assuming that Europeans offered the same exchanges as Asains...anyway for your amusement, my number one rule in life is NEVER to ASSUME ANYTHING. It's also ironic that I ALWAYS ASSUME things.