NEW EXPERIENCES (AND BEING MANLY)

Despite a lack of new experiences in my six months here in Seoul, I just had three this week. First was on Monday when I visited the ENT (Ears, Nose, Throat) doctor. Yellow dust has been causing me lots of problems with congestion and stuff. My new experience was a camera stuck up (way up) my nose with a live video feed to the big screen in the room. Although it was interesting from a biological point of view to see my inner nose, I did not enjoy the pain and vulnerable feeling. Actually it was kind of like torture, but I clenched my jaw and pretended I was in Vietnam (though I don't know why) and tried not to show my discomfort.
Second new experience was at the same doctors four days later when my condition had not improved. After spraying anesthetic up my notice (which apparently didn't work) he 'rammed' a little hoover waaaaaaaaay up there and sucked out mucus and stuff. This was deeper and much more uncomfortable than the camera. And didn't have the distraction of "look, it's your brain" on the live video feed. I didn't cry ('cuz I'm a man, right!) but my eyes streamed water and I was tempted to punch the kind doctor right in HIS nose. Admittedly, I did feel less congested afterward and he prescribed me some antibiotics (probably knowing if I had to come back again someone would get hurt).
And the third new experience was yesterday at a jimjilbang (kind of bathhouse/spa where Koreans hang out/pamper themselves). I've been to many before, but yesterday's place had a little pool full of those fish that eat the dead skin off your feet. Wow! What a bizarre sensation! Now, I've swum with piranhas in the Amazon (just reiterating how much of MAN I am), but when these things latched onto my toes and soles with the 'teeth'(?) I shrieked like a girl and nearly jumped ten feet high. It took a long time to get used to it and I can't say it was actually pleasant at any point, but certainly became bearable and I would do it again. A Canadian friend I was with didn't hold up so well and alternated between five seconds of girly giggling as his feet were submerged and several minutes of knees tucked up to his chest, feet out of water, saying 'I can't do it, I can't do it'. He says he's got super sensitive feet, but I say he's just not very MANLY.

SOUTH KOREA VS NORTH KOREA (FOOTBALL, NOT WAR)

I went to see a football match tonight with some coworkers since we had a day off. It was good craic. North Korea vs South Korea at the World Cup Stadium here in Seoul. It was my first football match in a long time and the atmosphere was great. Lots of cheering, flags, Mexican waves, etc. And I got to see real North Koreans, though to be honest, they look very similar to South Koreans.
The match wasn't amazing, despite the presence of Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park. North Korea is infamous for using all their manpower on defense and the case was no different tonight. But in the eighty-seventh minute, South Korea scored an exciting goal to win 1-0. A nice experience for me and a wonderful way to spend my day off.

COOL CAMERA

My coworker Tyler took this photo down in Gyeongju last week with his Canon Powershot. Although it's over three years old, it can take photos like this, black and white plus one colour of your choice. It also shoots in panoramic mode and can stitch multiple photos together. Cool!

MY FRIEND'S DAD SAID...

My friend, Greg, lent me the book The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt. Greg majored in Psychology and his father also works in that field. When his da sent him the book he included a note saying this is the best psychology book in the last thirty years. To be absolutely honest, this is the only psychology book I've read in the last thirty years, but I agree anyway. It blew me away. Really, really interesting. I recommend to everyone, though if you have a strong religious faith, you may find this a little contradictory.

GYEONGJU TRIP

I had a long weekend last week so my coworker, Tyler, and I took the opportunity to visit Gyeongju, a small city in the south. Gyeongju was Korea's capital during the Shilla Dynasty and is described as a 'museum without walls' as there are so many temples, tombs and relics scattered all over the city. We spent three days there biking, hiking, exploring the tombs and temples and eating traditional Korean food.
We stayed in a super cheap youth hostel and it felt like being on the road again. The first evening, after a days cycling, I met a cool Colombian man and cool Japanese student staying in our hostel. We all had dinner together and it was great to meet some 'real' travelers after so long. Hermano, from Colombia, has been on the road for 17 months, most of which was spent in India and Tiber doing volunteer work with kids who have behaviourial problems. And Mashi, from Tokyo, just came back from India where he was learing to play Satar for three months. These guys were interesting and passionate travelers and we had a good night together.
On our second day, we got up early (too early) for a big hike. Again, the weather was great and I developed my sunburn a bit more. The mountain, Namsan, was not spectacular, but fresh air and less than a thousand people blocking the paths made it a welcome respite from the mega city.
We actually got kind of lost on the descent and ended up on a road a long way from where we wanted to be. So we hitchhiked back to town, which turned out to be so much fun. We got picked up after about a minute by two old ladies and a grandfather who had us laughing all the way with their attempts at English and good nature.
A couple of girls from my Korean class, Rachel and Rebekah, also came to Gyeongju so we met up for dinner and nice coffee after out hike and a siesta.
ANd on the third day we rose early again to visit the famous Bulguksa Temple. It was grey and drizzly (thank god since my sunburn was killing) and Tyler and I were pretty beat. So we ditched the temple and decided to spend the afternoon in a wonderful cafe drinking hand-dripped coffee from the other side of the world.
All in all it was a great weekend. The city itself didn't amaze me, but that's probably just because I'm spoilt and desensitized after my two years in Japan. But we met some wonderful people there and had lots of small, but fun experiences. It was a refreshing and recharging break from city life and I'm glad we went.


Photos: 1.Tyler, Rachel and Rebekah posing at Bulguksa, 2.Tyler taking a rest enroute to the summit of Namsan, 3.Me chilling in our super cheap hostel, 4.Tyler at the river at sunset, 5.Our trusty steeds, amazing bikes for six dollars a day, 6.Magnolias in bloom, 7.Off-roading, 8.Tomb, 9/10.Showing off in a small bamboo forest.

GYEONGJU MARKET SNAPS

HAIKU

Long winter over
I can step outside again:
New buds start to grow

GOOD FOR THE 'S'

To be honest, I don't believe in a 'soul'. I think it's a lovely concept and certainly aids in promoting moral behavior, but I just don't believe it actually exists. Maybe it's just a way of explaining to ourselves all the unexplainable thoughts and feelings we experience as a highly evolved and intelligent animal. Not to mention the strong influence of religious propaganda throughout the generations.
However, I do believe some things are good for and some bad for that unexplained 'part' inside us, the 'S'
Living in a big city, tall buildings, grey, lack of sunlight and overpopulation are all bad for the S I think.
Being surrounded with and/or interacting with nature, live music and dancing as well physically providing for yourself (fishing, building things, cooking) are all good for the S I think.
So here in the big city, the first big city I've lived in, I sometimes feel I feel my S is suffering. To counteract that, this week I went for a hike and to see some live jazz music (though, no jazz-dancing, I promise). A short hike on Sunday and an hours good jazz on Tuesday fully refreshed me for another week of congested subways and racing the other rats in this metropolis.

RANDOM ITAEWON SNAPS

SEASON OVER

Well, my snowboard season here in Korea is over. I quite enjoyed it, though I must admit, my two years in Japan and trips to the French Alps have kind of spoiled me. So although the resorts here are fun, they're really nothing to write home about (even though that's what I'm doing right now).
Anyway, it was nice to experience Korean ski resorts, and the lift attendants here are possibly the chirpiest and most energetic in the world.
Some snaps from my last trip to one of the newest resorts in Korea, called High One.
Simon and Narae trying to look gangster, but no one was scared