Jal moreuget-neun deyo*

Ok, there are a TON of awesome moments from my time in Seoul that I can't even begin to put finger to button to start writing it out but I'll try. I'm planning to take a 'travel break' when I arrive in Manila so I'll try and write more and upload some photos but for now I'll try and list out my key learnings/observations/awkward moments (because there are PLENTY):

Asian Foreigners are at a disadvantage in Seoul
Up until last week when I was having a conversation with my friend April, the thought of looking Asian as an disadvantage never crossed my mind. But in reality, I found that it really was a disadvantage. For my first Korean meal on my trip, I decided to go to this whole in the wall soup place where I saw a white guy, figuring it would be foreigner friendly (read: they spoke English). I was wrong. In fact, as soon as I walked in, a stern looking Korean woman walked up to me and started going a mile a minute speaking to me in Korean. I got immediately intimidated and forgot whatever phrases I knew in Korean to begin with to get her to understand I didn't speak her language. It took me a minute to compose myself and remember the phrases I had in the back of my Lonely Planet but once I did, I pointed straight to the "I don't understand" and then she gave me an exasperated sigh and then proceeded to point to the white guy to help me out. It was embarassing. The (french) guy knew how to order perfectly in Korean. He came over and started talking with me to figure out what I wanted and then he ordered something for me (which for the record, I still have no clue what it was but I ate it out of fear of the Korean lady) and left apologetically because he had to run. Fortunately after that, the lady had another woman help me out who was infiinitely more patient with me and seemed to appreciate that I was trying to say some things in Korean.

I had quite a number of situations like that. Most times I could figure out what they were trying to say to me and on the most part looked apologetic that they assumed I was Korean.

Soju is NASTY
For my trip I've adopted the "When in Rome..." attitude for all things, including booze. So when I met up with my cousin Dean's friend Shannon for dinner, we ordered some Soju. It tasted like rubbing alcohol. It also burned when combined it with the garlic slices that came with my dinner (Again, I have no idea what I ate but we grilled it, put it on a leaf with garlic and ate it). However, it did it's job. Between the bottle of Soju and Cass beer (if Labatt Blue and Budweiser had a baby, it would be Cass...ugh), we were sufficiently buzzed for the rest of the evening. I personally blame soju for my first ridiculous purchase of the trip - large rimmed glasses circa the 80's with plastic lenses. Shannon and I wore our glasses the entire night hanging out in Hongdae and most of Saturday.

In Seoul, it's fashion over function
I have to say, I LOVE the clothes here. All the women here have such an interesting fashion sense from the hats with the poofy balls (I'm buying one for myself before I leave) to the funky tights. And the SHOES!! I'm trying to talk myself out of buying a pair but I think I might buy a pair before I leave.

The guys are also very styling. All of them seem to dig wearing the suits at all occasions. Why? I have no idea. Other than the skinny pant portion, I like the concept. Suits make anyone look 10% more stylin'/cute.

The one thing I don't quite dig about the twenty-something Korean woman's fashion sense is the need to wear heels at all times. Case and point: N Seoul Tower. In order to get to the top, your ride (in my case a bus) drops you off at the bottom of a hill and you have to walk up a steep hill to get there. I was wearing my runners, my cargo pants sweater and jacket and had all my stuff in my backpack. I contrast, I saw at least a dozen women going up the hill in skirts tights and 2 inch heels, grasply tightly to their dates. After a day of walking, going up the hill at night was a bit of struggle so I can't imagine how their feet felt after going up that hill. They better have some kick ass Dr. Scholls.

Ok, that's it for now...in the next edition I'll let you know how I made out finding a rice hat and how I went from having a pleasant conversation with a group of market vendors (who then quickly made it awkward enough for me to want to run) to kicking it with some random Korean comdians. That's right, comedians.

xoxo

C

* = "I don't understand" in Korean phonetically