Party Hard or Sleep?

Ok, so I wasn't planning on another blog entry today, but I couldn't resist after what just happened. My friends and I decided to go out to our favorite bar (The Ho Bar) tonight and miss curfew so in order to remain alert I decided to take a nap. I set the alarm on my ipod (which warned me it was low on battery) and went to bed…

I woke up minutes before curfew and realized that my phone and ipod died so I didn't wake up, but I snuck out just in time with my friend Daniel. Then I was suddenly at some rental house with my family and we were eating food (Like pasta in red sauce but with this waxy white stuff all around it) out of a toilet. My computer was hooked into a wall and all of the sudden hitting the arrow keys on my computer caused these picture frames on the wall (in the arrow-key formation) to light up. Then we discovered that different keys caused strobed lights inside and out to start up and it became some sort of disco party.

Suddenly I was outside walking (or roller skating) around in a big circle and talking to my mom who was trying to explain to me how we already had a different house to stay in and we would give this one to someone else unused (even though we had already been using it) and that would somehow cost nothing. Then for some reason I was trying to explain to her that I don't like when people come up and start to dance with me at parties without introducing themselves first, but she just walked away and my aunt Kelly suddenly appeared from behind me and asked me what I had been talking about. I then continued trying to explain to her but she kept questioning me and I became flustered and… then my phone rang and I woke up.

I hope you were as convinced at the beginning of the story as I was, because even now after 10 minutes of being awake and seeing it's only 9:00 I'm still not sure.

Soccer, DVD방s, and Fooooood!!!

Saturday night was the night of the Korean soccer match against Uruguay. It started at 11:00 pm and our curfew was pushed back to 3 after everyone had snuck out for the last game. I was hesitant to go to watch the match at city hall as I've never been a huge fan of soccer or huge crowds, but I somehow ended up right in the middle of it all with my friends Tim and Melissa. Now Melissa is half-korean girl who is apparently irresistible to all men. Haha. Everywhere we go, guys approach us asking if they can have pictures with her. During the match she caused quite a riot. A group of young Korean men pulled Tim and I into a giant huddle surrounding her and we all began jumping in a circle and singing Korean cheers.

A sea of Korean spectators at City Hall

Melissa and I at the game 대한민국!!!

The game was actually very exciting and I had an excellent time screaming the Korean chants and making friends with all of the other spectators (Koreans are always very surprised to hear white people speaking Korean and invariably want to "become your friend"). Once the game was over though we somberly retreated back to our dorm in 신촌 (Korea had lost 2:1).

Sunday afternoon we tried to go out to lunch, but it turns out almost everything in Korea closes on Sundays so the town was dead. We found a little 만두 (dumpling) shop and ate. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but Korean food is extremely delicious and extremely cheap, with meals usually costing three or four dollars. That night the entire immersion program went out to a bar and met up with some Korean friends. Everything was still pretty deserted so my friends Tim, Sarah and I went to a 노래방 (Korean Karaoke room) for an hour in hopes that things would pick up. They didn't... and since we had missed curfew we were left to wander the streets of Seoul until the dorm re-opened at 5:00. For the last couple hours we went to a DVD방 where you can rent a room for $5. You pick out a movie and are shown to a private room with a huge couch with soft cushions where you can sleep/watch the movie. We watched the movie Fame as we rested and at five we headed for home.

My 떡 만두 국 (Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup)

Jasmine with her 돌솥 비빔빕 (rice with beef and vegetables in a very hot stone bowl)

Daniel got the same thing but with tuna instead of beef

The next day I was finally able to go and get a phone. My friend Debbie who speaks pretty fluent Korean came along and dealt with the woman working to make sure I wasn't taken advantage of. Apparently I hit the mother lode as my phone has every feature imaginable (subway maps, Korean to English dictionary, video phone capabilities, etc), it's sleek and new AND it was cheaper than everyone else's. Apparently waiting the extra week (not being lazy...) payed off. So if you want to call me from Skype my number is (010)8072-0034.

As always thank you for your loyalty to my blog. Comments are greatly appreciated so please tell me what you think and ask me questions. You might just get a shout out in my next entry. ;-)

One last photo. Me and the gang playing ping pong in the basement: