Yoido Seoul

... the vets have, strays is pretty low on the list of importance. The post is responsible for ensuring strays don't become a nuisance or a threat, but not the welfare of the animals. Anyway long story short, if they can get help, then they are usually willing to give these animals a chance. I spent a week and a half with Max, got him totally socialized, and he is a very sweet boy, so he went back to the vets yesterday ...

... as the ultimate sham of an institution) has come to close after 14 long-and-sometimes-grueling months. Today was a minor victory- the Labor Board Office ruled in my favor on the issue of my owed severance pay. Korean Labor Law states that a company must pay the equivalent of one month's average salary as a severance pay for a year of continuous service. This is figured as the average of the last three months of pay ...

... I now know this and no longer will question your motives. I realize that like a parent wanting independence for their grown children, you wish the same of us. I pledge to do my best to make this world a better place and will no longer challenge you to help us because it is not realistic to expect something from you that you cannot do.

Love,

Kevin

... about visiting the DMZ (De-Militarised Zone), a 4km no-mans land separating the country. In fact, what surprised me most about the museum was its nuetrality. Many war museums I've visited have been very biased, with those in Vietnam and Serbia springing to mind, but the overwhelming impression I got here was of a desire for the countries to reunite. It was well worth the $3 and three and a half hours I spent there.

This morning I woke up and my home-stay sister led me to the Olympic Park where the olympic games were held in 1988, which is directly across the street from her apartment complex.  I went running there on a dirt loop around a grassy field.  The air quality is so poor that you cannot run for long, because your lungs start to burn and your throat feels very scraggly.  When we got back to her apartment her mom had prepared a big western-style breakfast that included pancakes, toast, sunny ...

... of foreign men, but it is rather easy for foreign men to find a young lady for conquest. And sadly, that is how many view it. It sickens me. I believe in respecting women, and I can't stand how foreigners take advantage of the culture here.

Another side story :) When I was living here, I dated a Korean young lady. During that time, a reputable news program ran a story about how foreign men were sleeping around with ...

... ordered things like Linda's favourite Roesti to be cooked for us without extra cost. Whether this was our mistake, theirs, our foreign charms or that we were actually entitled to it, nobody will ever know. I wasn't fussed, as long as I had access to the chocolate fondue, I was happy (and I was).

Post-dinner it was time for the favourites hit-list and as you can probably figure out this meant spending time on Magic Island, to which we travelled by monorail. The night was capped ...

... zoo was huge!!! This was definitely the best zoo I have ever visited. Tons of animals and there was so much space between each animals viewing section. I think we walked about 10 miles that day! It took us so long to make our way to the animal nursery that we got there about 30 minutes after it had closed for the day! We really wanted to see some baby animals! Oh....next time. Then we grabbed a snack. Okay, I know this is a silly ...

... the teacher's lounge getting talked to. Apparently she was in trouble because she left yesterday after her classes and the school couldn't find her. I guess they needed her to substitute for a class. So, yeah, we are not allowed to leave the school unless we have been here for 8 hours! Even if our classes are all finished! If we don't have any work to do, then we are supposed to ask for work (yeah, 'cause that will happen!) or just find something to do! What a ...

... advanced levels of English, and it's definitely the most important section of the academy. Quite why I was chosen to teach at this level is a mystery, particularly as a bigwig from Head Office, when giving our introductory orientation, declared that 'nokjiwon' teachers usually have at least two years experience! Hew and me looked at eachother in disbelief when she said that! In truth, I think that my Degree in English Language and Linguistics swung it as ...