Hotel Arirang, Busan

School's back in session, and man oh man have I been busy. I had a little downtime after the Finland trip, but it was back to the daily grind pretty quick. Unfortunately, at the beginning of September, my boyfriend and I broke up.... It wasn't dramatic or anything, but it definitely changed what I've been used to for a year. I had to go back to taking the subway, taxi, or walking everywhere I go. No more take out ...

... drag my belongings across the cobbles and gravel to the station. And what a bus station! Coming from the home of technology of Seoul to this was like going back to the 70's, just a massive space with some chairs in the middle. hardly any flashing lights. very strange. i went to use the bathroom after a 4 hour journey only to find that all of the vacant stalls had the remnants of the previous occupier's deposit left. not pleasant :-(<br ...

... plan on returning anytime soon. The weather forecast was great, so I made a last minute decision to head down to Busan and recharge my batteries. I'd booked myself into a reasonably plush, central hotel that was complete with a corner-jacuzzi - a real treat considering I've not had a bath since last December! So, after a three hour train journey on the high-speed KTX, I was strolling around Busan...<br><br>My hotel was right next to the Sky Tower so ...

... de mer). <br>Le soir nous embarquons a bord d'un ferry pour l'ile de Jeju, au sud du pays. Nous sommes installes en 3e classe, c'est-a-dire une grande surface avec moquette et quelques casiers sur les cotes... pour 90 personnes ! Quelques minutes seulement apres le depart, nos plus proches voisins nous offrent de leur nourriture et du Soju (alcool coreen). Puis un couple plus age en face nous apporte encore des choses a manger (rouleaux de riz, choux marine ...

... and a profound sense of "oh my god what did I get myself into". Like when my boss decides that a teachers meeting would be a good time to divulge rather intimate details of my personal life to all of my coworkers. Or like when I tried the Moth larva to discover that it tastes like half digested mud. Certainly a discovery I could have done without. No I never ate the dog but after following a truck on my ...

... Yang's fascination with my beard, lead him to ask me if he could touch it; I was surprised at how physically cordial he was, as this is taboo in the Japanese culture; patted my back the entire night; he gave her 28-year-old daughter a call to make her speak to us in English and French; she sounded as sweet as her father; Mr. Yang took us to a karaoke bar, as a cherry on top; these guys take their karaoke seriously; we had a ...

... to see that they do things just like us, hurry up and wait, and a little bit confusing. maybe i should stay in korea longer and help these people out. the resources are there (well, in japan and singapore) but no one seems to care. my faith in metropolitan asia as a style mecca is shaken to the core. but i guess, in contrast, thier poor sense of style makes me look that much hotter! so i can't really complain too much, huh... tin tin

... factor....<br><br>The thing is, so many of my student are handsome and cute, and pretty, and funny.... But they get told constantly by adults they need plastic surgery to make their eyes bigger, or they're too fat. TOO FAT?? Seriously? And yet they yell out that I am beautiful daily....?? Ok, I'll get off my soapbox.... <br><br>:) All in all, Koreans ARE beautiful--I can't get over it! The children especially. They're so pure, and ...

... inadequate for getting a sense of the monster. I suspect an intimate relationship with the city would have to be measure in long years only. Or in lifetimes and generations. The locals I meet each have their favourite streets and spaces but are also strangers to most of the city. I suspect there is no other way of dealing with such a colossal entity. Korea's second city Busan is at far from Seoul as one can be without leaving the mainland. This location may be a simple ...

... s just me but I think I sound like Peter from Family Guy (read again with his voice in your head). I think I've overdosed on it and now it's totally brainwashed me...but I can't help it, I need more... It reminds me of that time when I was with River Phoenix, reminiscing about Stand by Me whilst jacking up, right before he.....**** I'm doing it again! ...sorry guys. (some of you will get the joke [Nick, I'm counting on u], others will think I'm weird...)