The life and Seoul

Hey from a internet cafe in Seoul.

It costs me 1000Won for 50minutes (approximately $1.20NZD) a lot cheaper than Japan!

Thoughts about Korea so far:
- Its definately more modern/Western than Japan, everything from the clothes they wear to some technology, to the shops and products on sale. For example, they have a Burger King here (down the road from my hotel, albeit a little expensive, however that hasn't stopped me) and you can buy KGB's (made in New Zealand thank you very much) in the convenience stores here (approximately $4NZD, still cheaper than the Outback!) Also more people seem to be able to speak English, however, that might be because I am in the capital city, rather than a rural city like Yokkaichi.
- The subway system is less confusing in Japan
- Although it was 18 years ago, they still seem to be proud of the fact they had the olympics here, but that impression might just be from the fact my hotel is next to the Olympic park.
- Unlike Japan, Korea has the "try and rip the foreigner off attitude" for example taxi drivers at the airport coming and offering rides, that were 10x what the bus would cost

Intercontinental

Hey,
Sorry, been too busy recently to be regularly updating this. Life is short, I`ve got to play hard.

Which kind of sets the theme for this entry, I`ve been thinking about such cliches this week, you know all the :
Love like you`ve never been hurt
Its not the amount of breaths you take, its the moments that take your breath away (I watched Hitch again)
Just do it
etc

I think this has been inspired by the fact that I only have 3 months left here, so the end is in sight, and I have to tick off various things, namely my ambitions to see Asia.
Something I have been thinking about recently too is some of my motivation to see the world. I think some of it is so I have interesting things to talk about in the future - previously I hated talking about myself, because my life bored me. Shallow I guess. But on the other hand, I want to have no regrets. Im thinking about doing a huge trip/holiday to see China and Thailand (and perhaps Taipei and Hong Kong on the way) to save money.

Since last time I have been working everywhere. Saturday night I tried to go to a Lauel (a Brazillian party) but I couldn`t find it. Sunday I had to work.

Monday was a little more eventful. When I got out of bed, Kevin and I decided to go for a swim, via having lunch. So we made the long walk to the pool, via Coco Ichiban (the curry place, strange choice for a hot day but made the swim more worth it). The strange thing about having a swim here is the water is actually luke-warm (from the weather), not cold, like at home. We must have been there a few hours. I got fractionally sunburnt - not badly, but I have a singlet outline.

After that I headed home, and had sushi with someone I recently met. After that we had icecream, went and played video games, tried out Pachinko (I don`t believe in gambling, but I wanted to check it out, and check it off the list). Basically it is a cross between pinball and a pokie machine. And then finished with a drink.

This week has just been working. Tuesday night Anandia, Kevin, British Jon, and I went out, and did some Kareoke. Actually quite fun with a small group, as then you sing more regularly.

Last night I had to work in Nagoya, so I made the most of it and invited some of the other teachers out for a drink there. That was OK.

This weekend is a short one. Working Sunday, and working 5-9 on Monday, but then I go to Korea on Thursday night. Im looking forward to it. It will be my first time on a continent, every where else I have been has been an island. (Including Australia, albeit a big island - what I have an issue with is why they can call Australia the smallest continent, but technically, if Australia is its own continent, then New Zealand is seperate, and therefore also a continent, and therefore the smallest) Anyway, it will be strange to think that if I wanted, I could walk all the way to South Africa (in theory). Its also kind of cool to think that I will have been to one end of the biggest land mass (South Korea) and Suzanne has been to the other (South Africa).

Anyway, work is creeping up. I probably won`t update this until I am in Korea, or even after possibly, so take care till then.
One way. one truth, one life, one love
J

Oh those summmerrrrrr niiiiigghhhts.......

Hey,
The biggest news this week is the fact I managed to organise and finalise my trip to Korea. Im looking forward to it. I will obviously look around Seoul, but I definitely want to go to the border with North Korea too.

In other news this week...
Wednesday and Thursday nights were spent in the park with the other teachers.
Friday I went and meet some new teachers at the station, and took them to their apartment. They seem cool.
Saturday night we went to the park again, as it was festival season.
Sunday I went to a Chinese tea talk at the YIA, unfortunately, it was all in Japanese, and not about the ceremony, rather just the tea. Then I went and had a haricut and paid for my trip. Following that I talked to the folks, went for a ride to the pool (closed) dropped in on some friends, and went and invited the new guys for drinks and food before the staff party. I went to the staff party, and then onto a festival (apparently the noisiest in Japan) in the nearby city, for an hour and then back to the staff party. The staff then moved onto Kareoke, so so did I.
Yeah, thats about it for now. No big plans for this week

Minor Report

Hey,
Just a short one, because not a lot has happened since my big update session the other night. That night (morning) I got home at about 3am, to get up at 8 again. Remarkably I handled it well, however after work and a bit of tea, I fell asleep at approximately 7.30/8pm and didn`t wake up until 5.30am. Then I was awake, so I got up and went and visited a Scottish-American restaurant that I have a love/hate relationship with for breakfast. Its amazing what you can achieve when you wake up early. However I got here at 9.15am, and its 11:51 and Im still here. Emails and computers are the theft of time!

However I`m glad I wrote and sent that bulk email, as now I have had a good amount of replies - a nice change to the junk mail I have received lately.

Today I might go to the beach, or I might try and sort out my Korea plan, as well as my room and life.

Have a good one.

J