Greetings from Seoul!

Luuuuuvs,

Sry for being a bit MIA (though it's only been lil over 2 days, it feels like I have been here forever...in a good way though!). First, props to kpop-land--it is AMAAAZING. Gorgeous/clean/friendly people (or maybe they are just nice b/c my attempts at Korean entertain them for the hour). Subway system is super clean & efficient once you--aka me & fellow instructor friend who attempt phrase-book-friendly-Korean--get the hang of it; however, trying to mime "I would like a T-ticket" to the ticket master was very fun indeed. Subway is also very sturdy in general & makes "bart-surfing" completely unnecessary.

People at work are luuuuuvely--friendly/intelligent/very fun to be around :). Wheeee, thank gosh, esp. as I was looking on Haek-won blacklists frantically for mention of this company. The students here are apparently from very wealthy families, so quite a bit of pressure on us teachers to make sure they get their money's worth. I must say I sympathize w/ them given that they are in around 8-10 hours of instruction 6 days a week during summer--I feel it is my duty to make the classroom as close to fun as possible for my the well-being of my fellow humanity.

Noticeable culture differences: everything seems smaller here from the drinks (everything with caffeine seems highly overpriced but the cafes here are sooo spacious and breathtaking! There is one in which the entire 2-story cafe is open-aired) to the trash cans. Also, I apparently I have to go buy special trash bags in which I can store my junk & then lug it out to drop on the street where someone comes to pick it up round 4am daily. Women here are very fashionable when it comes to shoes--at Cal sometimes peeps call me out for wearing heels but here everyone seems to do so (I wonder how that is for the height-shy males, since this would add an additional couple of inches to their female counterparts....).

Woke up & was outta the apartment by 8 this morn' only to find that apparently no place opens till round 9..so spent the morning explooooring. Given constant constant walking (is it any wonder why everyone seems so fit here?!) & small portions & lack of time for full meals in general = best shape of my life in just a couple of days...I like to call this the Seoul Diet.

That is all but one last lil thing just for my kpop enthusiast-buds: I live very very close to an "SM Training Academy"...needless to say I will definitely be on the look-out! :P