Aimee’s World Tour

Yesterday Melissa, Mike and I took the 3:30 pm ferry to the island Koh Samui (pronounced Ko Sah – moy).  I think Koh means island so I might have just been redundant.  I took a lot of pictures os the landscape – somewhat mountainous as we had traveled 45 minutes by bus to get to the port.  It was rather foggy out but you could make out islands in the distance.

One in particular remnded me of skull rock in Peter Pan.  Melissa felt a little cold and sea sick – poor thing! – so I actually busted out my winter scarf.  Never thought I’d use that over here. 

Once we arrived on the island we hopped into a tukee (that how it sounds at least).  I say this with no judgement but it felt like I was one of those poor people that sit in the back of a truck.  Or perhaps someone riding away in the back of a military truck.  I think when I get a picture on here you’ll see what I mean.  It’s actually a neat little vehicle and they are all over.  Someone told me to watch out for them because some of them make a ton of stops at their friends’ shops and try to convince you to purchase things.  I haven’t seen that firsthand however. 

We weren’t sure when to get off the tukee and tried the first bungalow we saw.  We had one in mind for 500 baht.  You can even get some as low as 200 baht or one-something.  It’s insanely cheap!  We kept negotiating with the very beautiful high-priced bungalow we had stumbled upon which was asking 800 baht.  800 baht is about… $24… divided by 3 equals $8!!!  And that’s the pricey one!!!!!!!!  I think we all wanted to get the cheapest because we COULD.  But after a while Melissa said to me, you want to stay here don’t you?  I can see that look in your eye.  In all honesty I didn’t have any look about the place but I knew Melissa was really thinking about staying there.  She told me well Aimee you’ve only got a few days here and it’s your vacation so if you want to we can stay here.  And so we did.  I made sure to make Melissa admit that she was just trying to be slick. haha.  It’s beautiful.  Right on the beach.  Actually we’re behind another row of bungalows so it’s like a 30 second walk… 

When we first walked up there was this giant mound of coconuts.  I’m trying to think of that song in the Lion King… “lovely bunch of coconuts… there they are all standing in a row…”

We continued our “splurge” by eating at an italian restaurant.  Man was that pizza good and my mozzeralla and basil salad!  We broke out the soju I had bought Melissa for Christmas and had some with orange fanta. 

After dinner I was deliriously tired.  We stopped at a 7-11 and I shared my kit kat and nutrageous.  Then I hit the bungalow for a “45 minute nap.”  Melissa and Mike sat outside on the beach.  I’m not sure what happened because I don’t remember anyone trying to wake me. 

I must have been up at 7 am this morning because when I got back from my run and headed out to the Kodak picture place it was only 8:20 am.  This was the first run I’ve done in ever and it felt great.  I ran along these side streets that led to the beach.  Lots of the shops are run down but they seem more unique than ghetto.  The resorts and bungalows are much nicer and they are all along the beach. 

I’m surprised none of the stray dogs were chasing me but they’re probably over it. haha.  They actually lay in the street and everyone just drives around them.  They own the road.  In America we’re all be freaking out and trying to find the owner before the poor doggie turned into road kill.  I started laughing to myself when I saw this old lady on her motorbike.  That just doesn’t happen in the US. 

I dropped off my memory card to make my second cd of pictures and am currently trying to upload from my first cd but neither facebook nor my blog seem to be cooperating.  Yahoo worked but I’m not going to give up on getting them on here.

I’m feeling a bit guilty since I just disappeared this morning but Mike and Melissa were still sleeping when I got back from my room.  I’m sure they figured out I just went roaming.  It’s just now 10 am.  (Natasha and Justine – by “just now” I mean this moment… South Africans say just now which could mean that something just happened or it will happen, as well as “now”  and also “now now”, the meanings of which I get mixed up.)

I was slightly frustrated this morning trying to contact my family and friends about the funeral which takes place tomorrow American time.  I was hoping someone could stand in for me or have some flowers delivered as well as a personal gift.  I am across the world on vacation so this lack of communication is quite understandable and almost to be expected.  Susan – I’m praying for you. 

Even though none of you are physically here in Thailand with me, I think of you often.  Trinkets, clothing, funny experiences – everything reminds me of someone different from back home.  I realized yesterday that they way Melissa talks sometimes is just like my old college pal Michelle.  And Michelle it’s great to “have you here.”  Now LOCK IT UP.  (Michelle and I are great fans of The Wedding Crashers.)

I’d better skiddadle so I can lay on the beach, drink a real coconut and maybe ride an elephant.  Melissa said I’d probaby get to ride one on my trip so long as they elephants weren’t being mistreated for tourist use.  How amazing would that be to ride an elephant in a real jungle??!!!  Oh snap! 

~สาหกเสาะ

I was so ecstatic to write to you about everything I’ve been experiencing since my last blog but there’s been a bit of a damper on my excitement.  Jen (Brundage – old PA roomie and dear friend) just send me an email regarding one of our closest friends.  Jen – thank you for your email.  It is with much saddness that I have to relay the news of the passing of Susan’s father.  Apparently he had a heartattack a couple days ago and did not survive it. 

Susan – I cannot imagine how you are handling this.  There were tears in my eyes as I read Jen’s email.  I don’t think I’m even going to try to make things better with my words.  Instead know I am praying for you and your loving mother and the rest of your family.  Even more than being home for Christmas I would have liked to be home with you right now.  I don’t know how but please hang in there.  I know there are so many people who love you and upon any of them you may rely.  Know that I’m there in spirit for always.  I love you.  ~Always, your Aimee.

On a happier note, though I cannot write with the same enthusiasm as when I first walked into this pc room, Thailand is an eye-opening experience.  Staying in Surat Thani I’ve been able to get a taste of the non-tourist side.  The house I’m staying in is wide open. There are no walls or doors on the front of back of the house.  Simply a gate in front.  The house is surrounded with intenses greenery and P E calls it her jungle house. 

I must admit my bathing and excreting experiences were rather unique.  Now I’ve been on a squatter twice in Korea but I had the pleasure of using it again.  It literally is a hole in the floor… kind of like a very flat toilet with no seat.  I was really dreading the squatter because your legs can get awfuly tired if you have to deposit anything above a number one.  The trick is to do a low squat.  Like all the way down so that your butt almost touches the floor.  It is much more comfortable this way.  My guest house in Bangkok had a toilet but I’m guessing the squatter is quite common.  I had been avoiding the toilet has I had to drop off some brownies but you can’t put that off forever. And so I crawled out of the mosquito tent over our bed (which is pretty cool actually) and prepared for the big squat. 

I am about to get into a little more detail here so if you’re someone like Lauren Kidd (haha sorry lauren!) you may want to skip the rest of the paragraph though it’s really not so bad.  We all do it.  Poop that is.  Shit. Excrete. Make a bowel movement.  Koop – kah as they say in Poland.  And so I did. 

I encountered a bit of a problem flushing it down.  It wasn’t that the handle broke.  There is no handle, no button to push.  You just grab another bucket of water and dump it in.  Unfortunately my poop wasn’t moving and I finally resorted to grabbing some TP and picking out some chunks and disposing of them in the trash which is where you have to put the TP anyway.  I motioned to Melissa to join me by the toilet because I feared one was still lodged in there but she assured me it was all good. 

Now for the shower. 

Do you ever have low water pressure or your water is luke warm?  Maybe never quite heats up?  Does your shower curtain ever accidentally go outside the tub and water covers the floor?  Perhaps your shower has even stopped working altogether and you have to use a friend’s shower or just wash your hair in the sink?  Oh poor poor babies.  Oh how spoiled we are back home and even in my Korean apt. (mind you I live in a rich area).   

Basically you have a hose and a bucket.  You fill the bucket with the water, which happens not to be heated, and dump it on yourself.  Tah dah.  Thai shower.  Melissa told me that you just have to psyche yourself up before you go in and it won’t be so bad.  Luckily there was a second place that the water could come out of the hose and it just poured out onto the floor.  I decided to just stick my head under that light stream of water and then splash some water on the rest of my body.  Melissa did have some really nice shampoo I must admit and I’m seriously considering buying some for Korea.  My hair has been having serious issues over there.  Melissa and Mike – I know how proud you are of me!  Natasha – I can’t believe you did that for six months in your crappy Korean apt. and I now see how much you must be loving where you live now.  Though I must say it is quite the adventure. 

Back tracking, Mike took me on a mini tour of the area yesterday.  We went to see some shrine/structure honoring the king or Buddah – not quite sure.  It’s the first time I’ve had to take off my shoes to walk around outside at a historical site.  (I did have to take my shoes off for certain parts of palaces in Korea and also when I went inside the Emperor’s Palace.) 

I decided to get a little wooden elephant as I had left Cedric back in Korea.  You know, my traveling knome, of whom I must post more pictures.  (Sorry Britskys!  I guess he’s just a Korean knome.)  Elephants are sacred out here and there are many little elephant statues.  If I’m correct, the elephant is also good luck in Poland~ Mom, Agnieska?  My little wooden elephant, which I named Mike after my new friend, was hand carved by Buddhist monks.  Supposedly the monks can only do certain crafts to earn money and making wooden elephants is one of them. 

Mike and I continued our stroll down the river and I got a very good idea of how the Thai people live.  We met Melissa after work at this mall which was jam packed with mini shops.  A lot of the stuff reminded me of Korea.  Prior to meeting Melissa I bought a kit kat and it was the real thing.  So delicious.  We went shopping for at least an hour and I was quite disappointed that this John Wayne t-shit didn’t fit me but luckily it fit Mike so he got to take it home.  I had been hoping to maybe find a summery shirt/tang top for New Year’s because a regular t-shirt is a bit too much fabric for the humidity out here.  No such luck. I did end up getting THE COOLEST PANTS EVER.  Had Melissa not been so enthusiastic about me getting them I don’t think I would have even considered it.  They are multi-colored and the waist is huge yet they can fit anyone.  You simply fold over the extra fabric and tie the string.  They are truely THE traveling pants and I’m now in the sisterhood.  (That’d be a book/movie reference.)

After shopping we each got a Thai beer and sat along the river to watch the sunset.  We walked a little further down the “boardwalk” and had dinner.  I went with the pad thai since I was in Thailand.  Not American made pad Thai but small Thai vendor on the street pad Thai.   Delicious. 

As we were leaving Melissa asked a group of guys where they were from.  France.  I’ve been wishing I was in France since I got to Korea and now I found myself speaking a really rusty version of their language.  Hopefully the video will get posted up here.  “Merry Christmas Maman Aimee.”  Yup – that one’s for you mama. 

We proceeded to the italian restaurant across the street hoping we could just walk in and use their toilet.  Our plan worked.  Well it wasn’t much of a plan but a toilet is golden out here.  It flushed and everything!  haha.  I haven’t taken notice of which way the water goes…

I must say that Mike and Melissa know a lot of Thai culture and can actually speak a great deal for only having been here several months.  They taught me many phrases and I think I’ve just about caughten up to my Korean vocabulary.  Kap or Kup-koon-kah means thank you. 

I really want to encourage all of you to get out there and see the world.  I know there are a million excuses not to and some good ones but life is short and you must make time to explore.  We’re but a tiny dot on the globe and many of us never leave that speck.  It’s not just about going on vacation and having fun.  It’s about experiencing other cultures and opening your mind.  Some places may make you envious and other grateful for what you’ve got.  However it is true that you don’t know what you’re missing until you try it.  I feel that Thailand has brought a change in me even though it’s only been a couple days. 

When Melissa gets home from work we’ll probably get some food and then try to catch a boat to Kah Samui where we’ll stay until New Year’s Eve.  After we pick up Gen (another of Melissa’s friends from NJ) we’ll head to Kah P… for a New year’s extravaganza.  I’ll take the night boat back to Surat Thani on New Year’s day and then catch the day train on the 2nd with enough time to make it for my flight that night. 

May you all be happy and healthy this coming year and always.

Love,

Aimee

Wow. Let me just say that the world has become so much smaller and I want to see it all.  I can’t believe here I am in THAILAND.  THAILAND!!!  It’s really amazing.  And Melissa is even cooler than her emails which is pretty much impossible.  We’re instant friends.  Her friend Mike, originally visiting for 10 days, has been here 2 months.  They both came to pick me up at the train station around 7 this morning.  But they’re friends with Sara and so of course they’re awesome!  Thanks Sara.  Sell that house and get out here.

There is so much to tell you.  Last night I bargained down a cab but then found some guy who was even cheaper.  When I arrived at the train station it was packed with people.  I think my pictures will be quite helpful.  A guy from England sat down at my table while I was killing time and then I ended up talking to a couple other Brits. 

When I showed the train conductors my ticket pointed and said, “Long way,” which in Korea could be Wrong way since they can’t say L’s to save their lives.  But basically it was a LONG WAY to my car… the last car rather. It took me a few minutes to walk from the front to the back of the train.

I lucked out and sat with a nice guy from Germany who spoke pretty good English but with a heavy accent.  The Brits were pretty badass with their English as well. haha der her.  Just some Aimee humor to lighten the moment. 

Germany’s name was Klaus and he told me how he got a fake certificate and plans to teach diving in Bali.  He’s sick of working with computers.  Quite the change but whatever works.  I got a good night’s sleep in my top bunk which had two straps to keep me from rolling off.  I don’t know if they would actually work if I were to, well, roll over…

Once I got off the train I started filming a video of the station and taking a few pictures.  I’ve seen quite a few of the Buddist monks in their orange garb (is that how you spell that word? hmm – maybe that’s not even how you use it.)  As I finished my little snippet a guy came up to me and asked me if I was Aimee.  I figured he had to be Melissa’s friend Mike and so I was like YES!  YES I AM!!  Melissa was a little further down but ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug like EVER!  She’s so sweet and talkative just like me.  We’re like BFF’s.  =0)  Mike is also, as he would say, a pretty “cool cat”.  THey are both so open-minded and enthusiastic.  THis is gonna be an amazing week. 

We went and had some rice porridge thing that was really quite good.  Mine came with an egg that they cracked and poured on top.  Since the broth is so hot the cooks itself.  (I feel like this blog has the worst version of English any of you have seen in a long time.)

Melissa is staying with a woman named P E in a sort of “jungle house”.  P is used to address older women and E is her nickname which actually has nothing to do with her real name.  In Thailand people take on one syllable nicknames.  I thought it was ironic that she’s called P E because his is also the abbreviation for physical education.  (Side note – I remember being so confused in third grade because in the place of gym it said phys ed and I had no idea why.) 

P E is an amazing runner and her collection of trophies is quite impressive.  She currently belongs to a 10 person running group and is the only female.  I know she’s won first place in a number of races.  Melissa and PE told me about one race she had done with people who hadn’t heard of her.  (Normally people prefer NOT to run against her.)  The men insisted she have a headstart but little did they know who they were up against and she won the race.  She also told us of this amazing run she did after the country lost many people to a mudslide.  I apologize that I cannot pinpoint the geography but as she ran through this area she collected money for those families who had been affected.  Pretty amazin, eh?  To my delight Melissa does aerobics and yoga and likes all that stuff.  We’re going to work out later on. 

Next week is Melissa’s last week teaching out here.  When she’s through she will studying yoga on the island of Koh P… something with a P, the same island we’ll be on for New Year’s.  It costs 4 thousand bucks but she wants to become a yoga instructor so this is perfect.  She’ll be living in a bungalow and doing all this meditation as well as the yoga itself.  How have some of you NOT left New Jersey?!  Get out there people!!!!  The world is yours if only you take a chance. 

When I was at the airport in Korea I came across a case of 5 bottles of soju for $4 so I bought it for Melissa.  She was missing her soju.  I had already purchased two bottles back in Migeum but am giving one to Melissa’s friend Gen when she gets here and also gave one to Mike. 

Not only are these people from the US but they are all from NEW JERSEY!  I am so happy to be among my own kind!!!  The idea of hanging out with Americans is like heaven.  And quite fun and interesting ones at that.  I’m not going to have a dull moment out here. 

We got lunch at a restaurant (outdoors and a little “shanty” but that’s how things are) where I was able to try some new food.  Thai food is delicious and hopefully I’ll be able to upload that video on here. 

Speaking of videos and pictures, I lost HALF of mine.  I may have picked up a virus on my card at the computer lab yesterday.  Grr.  But it certainly beats losing my passport.  Crap – I may not have wanted to say that. 

Melissa left lunch early because she had to go teach for 3 hours but we’ll be meeting up with her later.  Right now I’m at a local computer lab with Mike hoping to be able to do something with my pictures! 

Tomorrow we are heading to Koh Samui for two nights (??) and then to Koh P…something for New Year’s.  This trip is gonna go by way too fast! 

Cheers.

Aimee

hello from Thailand.  Got my train ticket right next to my guest house so I didn’ have to take a half hour cab ride!  WIth my afternoon free I went to see the Emperor’s Palace. 

It was absolutely gorgeous.  Had a few interesting encounters along the way but I’ll fill that in here at a later time. Let’s just say Pigeon woman. 

 I’m gonna get a cab around 5:30/6 pm and then take the train.  I get the top bunk.  I’m so looking forward to this bc I want to go to sleep!!!! 

I took a ton of pictures but none of them do the palace justice. 

Till we blog again,

Aimee

Hello all,

I’m in Bangkok… got in at midnight Bangkok time… which is two hours behind Korea.  Right now it’s 11 am and I’m at some internet cafe thing right by the guest house I stayed in.  This red-headed girl from I’d guess England showed me which coin to put in because I had no clue about the coinage.  Still don’t really.  They have skype and a video cam so I hope some of you will be logged on!

 I can’t believe the difference in the weather out here. It’s so different from Korea!  I’ve traded in my winter coat, scarf, gloves and hat for shorts and a t-shirt, not to mention my bathing suit!  I’m a bit warm wearing my makeshift jean “capris”. And there is so much greenery. 

I’m about to get a taxi to the train station to book my overnight ticket and then I hope to get to see the Emperor Palace before I have to head out.  EVERYONE SPEAKS ENGLISH.  It’s so refreshing.  And people want to help you. 

Even the foreigners are different… they aren’t all English speaking.  I’ve heard a lot of French and some German and well… you get the idea. 

I totally lucked out at the airport.  I ended up meeting two girls from CA and some guy from Quebec (with a very French accent) and we were able to split a cab from the airport to Khosan so I only had to spent approx. 100 Baht (not sure how to spell any of this) instead of 400 by myself.  I made sure not to get ripped off by the taxi service inside that was 1100 baht.  Um… I believe the exchange rate is around 33 baht (for the dollar).  I had changed my Won over to dollars at my bank in Migeum Station before I left yesterday day.  (Migeum Station is where I live FYI.) 

I believe I had almost picked a fight with the woman inside when I was checking out today because I was pretty sure I had paid a security deposit of 1100 not 1000 and I wanted to get my 100 back.  The paper did say 1000 but I’m pretty sure I had paid the teeny bit more.  It’s just that everyone warned me about getting ripped off out here.  Ah well.

In general Koreans don’t try to rip you off but aren’t always so friendly.  It’s the opposite out here apparently.  But I wouldn’t really know since I’ve only been here a matter of hours. 

Last night after I booked my accomodation I wandered about on Khosan Road and ended up kind of losing my way so that I didn’t get to bed until 3 am which was 5 am my time. 

Ugh – it was such an effort to get up this morning but I knew I had to check out by noon and also get that train ticket or my entire schedule will get screwed up. 

This blog I’m quite sorry is CRAP but I’m in a bit of a time crunch.  It actually started out as an email but I figured just blog it. 

I’ll try to get to a computer again soon. 

~Bangkok Aimee

 PS no time to proof this!  Come back again when I’m written proper English!

Um yeah so my computer at home as well as the one here are being tempermental about allowing me to upload the TONS of photos I’ve taken in the past two days… so please be patient and I’m sure they’ll be many more from Thailand!

~Aims

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU.  May you be happy and healthy surrounded by friends and family. 

Thanks to everyone for skyping me and for your cards and emails and facebookings.  I was able to get through Christmas without my much expected crying fest. 

And thanks to Natasha and her friends/fam who gave me a lovely South African Christmas experience.  And to my other fellow foreigners who stopped by.  I love you all.

Justine and I got hot chocolate on Christmas Eve and the next morning I had a few visitors: Natasha and her granny as well as Andrea who stopped by before her flight TO THE UNITED STATES! 

Then it was off to Natasha’s for dinner and afterwards a visit to my first nooreebong where we sang our hearts out.  It was terrible and I loved every minute of it.  However I don’t think the world is ready for those videos.  The acoustics of our private room were awesome and the disco lights were going every time we sang.  We finished off the evening with the movie “Love Actually”.

Actually (haha) I stayed up till 4:30 am my time talking to my family from the US and Poland as well as Robin from AZ!! 

Right now I’m at the Incheon airport in South Korea waiting for my flight to Bangkok, Thailand.  I can’t believe this is happening a.nd I’m so excited.  The airport itself is like another world with all the English.  It’s so refreshing.  I can’t wait to see you Melissa!  And Sara – we wish you were there!!! 

 I’m actually sitting in a very nice FREE internet lounge.  I think every airport needs one of these. 

Wish I had time to blog some more but I’m afraid I have to get ready to board. 

I will do my best to get on the internet and update you on my travels in Bangkok and on the island!  Maybe I’ll get to ride an elephant in the jungle. haha.

 Love,

ever wandering Aimee

PS um… yeah… so…. I kind of have been thinking about how cute my kids are… WEIRD.  Oh but H E Doublehockey sticks (haven’t heard that in a while have you?) I need a break from those little heathens. 

Written on Dec. 24, 2008 ~ 

Well it’s Christmas Eve here in Korealand.  For  many of the kids TODAY was THE exciting day and I must say it wasn’t bad. 

I think the tons of pictures I took with my new 4 GB memory card will tell the story! 

I’m still trying to figure out how to upload videos because I def. have some cute ones!!  (This memory card is gonna be great for Thailand on Friday!!!!!  Holy Crap!!!) 

*Picture

A simple card can be the best thing in the whole wide world. 

This one is from Roy, my Cambridge wanderer. 

“Dear Amiee,

I am always feeling thankful for your good watching and kind caring for Roy.  (Smiley face)

I also appreciate for your never-ending endurance during teaching my lovely kid. (Funny face)

I think Roy could have improved his English and get along with his friends due to your tender caring (Heart)

(Roy likes you very much~!!)

Hope you spend a splendid Christmas holiday~

From.  Sera (Roy’s mom)”

Three. 

The number of french hens in the Twelve Days of Christmas.

The number of months and weeks that I’ve been in Korea.

The number of times one of my kids blows snot out his nose in 35 minutes.

The number of times I get to wipe up his/her snot.

The number of teaching days left before Christmas!!! DING DING DING!!!

Oh how I can’t wait.  I LOVE Christmas.  My apt. is Christmas messy right now with last minute cards and presents about the room but soon it will all be cleaned up and my little Korean Christmas tree will shine upon a tidy floor.

Natasha might sleep over on Christmas Eve (I’ll sacrifice my bed) so we can wake up and open stockings together on Christmas.  THen it’s off to her apt. to celebrate the glorious holiday with her Granny whom I just met tonight.  She’s such a classy woman with her South African accent and her stories of world travel.  She had visited the Great Wall on her way to Korea.  Now that’s something I’d LOVE to do!!  Apparently the steps are all different heights; one giant step and then a couple really small ones.  Should be an interesting climb.  (Bc I AM gonna make it there… one day.)

Natasha wants to hit up a (sound it out) Noo-ree-bong which is a private kareoke room where we can sing our hearts out.  Justine kind of well… detests kareoke so unfortunately I don’t think she’ll be joining us.  Instead she is opting to go skiing which I would love to do as well.  But I personally can’t wait for the noo-ree-bong.  I guess we’re doing that later on Christmas day.  I’m not sure.  I of course will have to allot for personal crying time and calling the family.  Go go gadget international phone card/skype/ineedapccamera.com  I’m sure they’ll be some Christmas movie watching and good eating as well.  Then it’ll be time to pack.  Thailand on the 26th!

It really hasn’t sunk in that I’ll be lying on the beach later this week. I want to pack really light for once in my life.  Just throw some flip flops, my swimsuit, a couple hoodies, a pair of jeans, shorts/capris and a few t-shirts into a bag and we’re good to go.  Oh and some soju for Melissa. 

It’s Sunday night and I feel very efficient.  Did my student evals this week as well as my weekly comments and next month’s lesson plan.  And here I am well into another blog.  Whoo hoo. 

It’s time for a… FLASHBACK! 

So Friday after school we all went to the owner’s favorite restaurant in the middle of nowhere.  I’m not quite sure if I was bored or wanted to  have something to blog about… but I actually ate a bit of the food.   Well I put food in my mouth and washed it down with whatever I could.  Even the Korean teachers weren’t too big on this place.

Food was constantly being brought to the table and each time I was thinking – ok THIS is going to be something I can eat.  Because it IS dinner time and I AM hungry. 

As the dishes came out they only got worse and worse.  I tried a cold  muscle.  Yeck.  And then an oyster.  Bleck.  And then an octopus tentacle.  I was really missing those little smiley goldfish crackers when a whole fish with eye, scales and teeth landed in front of us.  I cannot pin-point what possessed me but I had a teeny tiny piece.  The kimchi smelled worse than ever… like GARBAGE.  You can’t go out and eat here without a load of that stuff.  Luckily there was this noodle thing that I kept eating.  My saving grace. 

Later that night Natasha and I went out to a bar.  I ended up making new friends since she had to go home early.  Met a Canadian girl and later quite a nice English chap who has traveled all over the world and hasn’t been back to England for over seven years!  Craziness. 

But let’s focus.  Christmas is almost here… and I wish a Merry one to you all.  I’m constantly listening to the Christmas Mix I compiled back in 2005 when I lived in PA with Jen and Lauren: “A Belmondo Christmas”. I’m actually thinking of burning a CD for each of my kids to take home to their families. 

To all my Jewish friends, Have a Happy Hanukkah and, as Mr. Sandler so eloquently puts it, drink you gin and tonikah. 

I know some of you are wondering what the religion is like out here.  I think (and I could be pulling this out my arse) something like 30% of Koreans are Christian.  I know I see a lot of churches around the area.  Ellie, our vice director, is Buddist and I’m not sure what other religions are popular out here.  I’ll get on that.

Come to think of it I really haven’t painted a very good picture of everyday life in Korea and so I shall attempt to remedy that in future blogs. 

You’ll be hearing from me before the New Year but I wish you all a happy and healthy one – for 2009 and always. 

Cheers,

Aimee