Now my blog is totally 2009!

Hey all! Sorry for the delay! At first it was because I was super busy working the extra Winter classes (Winter break isn't a break for the children, it's a reason to sign up for extra classes so that they are still in academies all day, every day - poor kids), but then it was just because I was lazy. So I decided that for my first blog of the new year I would give a list of all the things that are different in Korea compared to the USA. I wrote out a long list, but I left it at work, so I might add things later, but for now here are some things that come to mind...

1. Dr. Fish cafes!
In a Dr. Fish cafe, you buy a drink or some food and pay an extra 2,000 won to let fish eat the dead skin off your feet for 15 minutes. Maja, Jo and I go to one in Myeong-dong called 나무그 늘. Maja says it's the best. It is really cute, check it out: http://www.restree.net/

2. Couples wear matching EVERYTHING.
They have matching shirts, socks, underwear, EVERYTHING. The above duo's shirt has a guy and a girl talking into can "phones". I stole this picture from another blog, though. I always try to get a picture, but my camera is too old and crappy so the couple has already walked away by the time my camera take the picture (see my attempts below). For a better collection of pictures featuring matching couples, check out this blog: http://www.rainydazeee.com/2009/01/23/korean-couples-and-their-matching-outfits/

In the picture on the left, all you can see is part of the matching orange and white striped hats, haha. And in the picture on the right, you can't see the design on the front, which highlights the matching-ness. I suck at taking pictures! ;(

3. Driving.

It's crazy here. First of all, the traffic lights only allow one direction to drive at a time. (In the US north and south have green at the same time, then east and west have green. In Korea, only north has green, then only west has green, then only south has green and then only east has green.) But this doesn't matter because cars, mostly taxis, drive through an intersection even if the light is red. I think that this link offers interesting insight: http://www.mathnews.uwaterloo.ca/Issues/mn500/curtis.php

4. The food.


As you have seen already, the food here is different, but it's generally really delicious. In the picture to the left, we are eating deep fried bread. Yummy! My favorites are ddeokbokki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ddeokbokki), bibimbap (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibimbap) and galbi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galbi), to name a few. And of course KIM CHI!

It's all pretty spicy, but delicious!


This picture is sideways, but I had to include it! I don't know what it is, bird fetuses? I didn't try any, haha.

But anywho, you can check out more Korean food at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Korean_dishes.

MORE TO COME!