Amanda Takes Off...

Today's fourth grade classes were great. I taught them the Pinball 12 song from Sesame Street. You know the one. "One, two, three, four, five—six, seven, eight, nine, ten...eleven, twelve!" (That was done by the Pointer Sisters!) So I was happy.

Then fifth grade was just...apathetic. So I was annoyed.

Then I was fed donuts and fresh strawberry juice with my after-school class and I was happy.

Then I "tested" (not really, but really) in taekwondo. Before class, one of the kids from an earlier class opened the door on me while I had a dress halfway over my head and because the latch is broken on the door, I couldn't even pull it completely closed. And the kid didn't apologize. Then, I couldn't break the medium blue bricks with this "harder, but more powerful" stance Master wants me to use. We moved to the yellow (easiest) brick and I still couldn't do it. Then, after class, another kid opened the door on me while I was standing there in my dobok pants and bra and again, I couldn't slam the door closed quickly. So I was very frustrated.

Then the kid apologized and blushed madly, so I actually felt for him. And then in his office, Master called me pretty and his wife called me beautiful because I was wearing a dress. So I felt better.

Then I couldn't get a seat on the subway. So I was annoyed.

Then I found some CDs, some Korean DVDs I want to watch (but only when I can stop them to figure things out), a thumb drive, and a bookshelf for pretty cheap at the store attached to the subway station. So I was happy...

Until I realized I can't carry the bookshelf home because it's too bulky/heavy.

Then I texted that guy I'm meeting for drinks tomorrow night and asked him if he could help me ("big favor") carry it to my apartment tomorrow. He said yes. So I was happy again.

Then...then! I walked past a businessman sitting in a tree smoking cigarettes.

(Poor Quality Photo of)
A Korean Businessman Sitting in a Tree Smoking Cigarettes

And that made my whole darn day.

New Job

I met the sixth graders yesterday for the first time (13 Korean age, so the same age as I taught in America). During the last class, this exchange occurred.

Amanda: My brother is a fireman.

Student, with awe on his face: Your brother is Spiderman?

Bad Job

I didn't go to work today because I went to Labor. I am nearly guaranteed to win my labor case since she already has 5 judgments against her in the last six months. That, however, doesn't mean I will actually get my money. Also, why can this woman owe people tens of millions of won and still be in business? That makes no sense.

I had to ink-thumb every signature and page of the document since I don't have the Korean-style name stamp. Actually, I just bought one Saturday in Insadong and forgot to bring it. So now my thumb is pink.

Taekwondo

Monday night's class was awesome. It was hot and it was hard work and at the end of class Master wanted me to try breaking the rebreakable bricks. I had tried this once before and only ended up hurting my hand.

Well, I tried the easiest brick and didn't break it. Then he gave me some pointers and my studiomates said, "화이팅!" I tried again and broke it. That felt good because the bricks are harder to break than the tiles.

Last night he had me do the easiest brick again, then try the medium brick. I failed the first time but said, "No, I want to try again." My studiomates again cheered me on and I broke it.

Master asked me to try the hardest brick, and I did, twice, but failed to break it. OK, so that's my next goal.

After class NewSabumnim took several videos of me breaking the medium brick. Over and over.

My hand still hurts.

Language

Last night Master and I had our second English class. I asked him after class if he'd done his homework (which he had two weeks to complete). He froze. During our lesson, I canceled some of his homework, like writing down what he would say when introducing someone, because he did that when he met my parents.

Today I managed to get some picture frames. I asked how much they were and she kept saying the size. Finally I said, "No, money," in Korean and she laughed, "Oh, I'm sorry!" It wasn't a matter of me being the problem, it was just a normal miscommunication. I didn't know the word for picture frame, so I pointed to one in the store and said, "Do you have this?" It wasn't an entirely fluid conversation, but something about getting what I needed without much trouble...that felt nice.

남자?

Friday night after class I'm meeting a Korean guy who lived in America as a kid for drinks or dinner or something. We briefly chatted during the break in tonight's class. I've talked to people on the phone during breaks before—men and women, in Korean and English, but tonight the kids paid attention.

I was sitting outside, chatting entirely in English. When I got off the phone, two boys and Ghost were standing there.

"아만다...진구예요? 남자예요?" Amanda...was that a friend? A boy?

Yes.

It is a boy? Where is he from? Is he American? He's not? He's Korean? Oh, oh, Amanda! Yes, Korean! Very good! When are you meeting him? Will he be your boyfriend?

Then, while I was on the phone some Korean man in his 40s just stood at the bottom of the steps and stared at me. I waved at him. He waved back and kept staring.

Yes, dude, a white woman is sitting in a dobok, wrapped with a black belt, chatting on the phone at the top of the stairs in English in South Korea. Get over it.

Master took one look at my face tonight and the first words out of his mouth were, "Amanda, tired?"

The visit with Mom and George was awesome but exhausting, and today was my first day at my new job (went well, I think). We don't do daylight savings time, so while it gets early pretty dark (Mom commented on that), the sunrise was something before 5:30 this morning. Turns out the window in the former bedroom lets in a ton of light. This combination of factors made me tired enough after work.

Then, knowing I needed to do it then because of inertia, after work I managed to switch the positions of the bed and couch, which, considering how narrow my apartment is, took some interesting geometry, Korean-based physics, and taekwondo arms. 화이팅!

Speaking of taekwondo, now that the apartment is set up to practice it, I'd better do it. (The bed is crammed into the bedroom, the door nearly opens all the way before crashing into it. I'm not moving either of those pieces of furniture ever again.) Tonight in class Master started explaining why the moves of 고려 are the way they are. Ahh, it's a beautiful form.

I bought a new book a few days ago, 한국어 읽기 2급: 재미있는. It's a reader put out by Yonsei University. I looked at level one, read three stories and put it down because it was too easy. This one is just about the perfect Goldilocks level.

However, I was having problems with this sentence in a short essay about Chinese-style mandu.

중국에는 '하늘에 있는 젓 중에서는 비행기만 빼고 다 먹는다. 다리가 네 개인 젓 중에서는 책상만 빼고 다 먹는다.'

I recognized sky, China, plane, legs, four, desk, eat. What I didn't know is that 만 빼고 (다?) is a way to except something.

Master explained it and then said, "The Chinese eat anything."

In China we eat anything from the sky except airplanes. In China we eat anything with four legs except a desk.

Ahhh, today was very busy. I saw my parents off (sigh...) then went down to my new city to get the key to my apartment. I then went back to where my friends have been keeping my stuff (a two hour subway ride, and I forgot my iPod, so I couldn't even do my Korean homework) and packed up and moved.

My apartment is a mess and I'm pretty sure I'm going to move the couch into the living room and the bed into the bedroom, even though it will make the bedroom feel very, very small. Why? Because then I'll have room to practice my forms. Besides, I have a bedroom for the first time in ten months and want to feel like it. Since the TV and computer don't really fit well where the couch is, I'll never use that room if I don't move the bed in there.

The last several days with my parents were very busy—fun but busy. I am working on a large photo album and multiple posts, but right now I can't get my own laptop onto the internet, so it'll have to wait a while.

The long and short of the trip is that it was great to see Mom and George, my confidence in my Korean has improved, we were all movie stars, some Korean college students saved our butts on our tea tour, and George got approached by an...interesting woman at Yongsan station.

In other news, I am getting really into Korean ballads—in other words, exceedingly dramatic music where I only mostly understand things like "I love you, I love you, please stay...like this...come back."

This is one of the most famous singers in Korea, 김건모 (Kim Gun-mo) with his song "Scarecrow." My version of the song ends around 4:55. Master gave me a copy of this song. It's also his handphone ring tone.

This one is by SG워너비 (SGWannabe) and is called 내 사람 (My Partner for Life). I can't recall when it became popular, but it is.

It's a good thing my parents are only here for a week because when they're here, they conspire with Master to make me do my pushups.

Yesterday (Mom's birthday) we went to the green tea fields and bamboo forest. It was a very nice—but exhaustinig—trip. And it was my first time using the Korean train system.

Today we went to 창덕궁(Changdoek Palace) and got soaked. Usually this palace is only open via tour to help preserve it. However, on Thursdays you can pay five times the normal price to get in without being on a tour (only 1000 people a day). Even though it was raining, it was nice to go out without being in a tour group because it was very quiet and it was easier to take your time, take photos, and so on.

George and Amanda at Changdeok Palace

Tonight we had dinner with Master and his family. Mom and George had said that they'd like to meet Master and his family again, so yesterday I invited them out to the palace with us today. Master called back and said they couldn't come because it'd be raining, so we invited them out to dinner instead. Master was kind enough to find a Korean barbeque place near our hotel. He made a reservation and we chowed down on various foods.

My Families

Master's Daughter Plays With My Handphone

Master's Children Play With My Handphone

Rawrr!

Master's Daughter Takes a Photo of Both of Them

I was really happy that my parents ate Korean-style, since they'd said before they got here that they wouldn't. (To be fair, they have eaten that way several times, including yesterday with two college students we'd met who saved our butt at one point on our tea tour.) Dinner was pleasant, but Mom was pushing my Korean language skills way beyond my current level. "Tell Kwanjangnim..." Then, as I was trying to simplify and collect my thoughts in Korean, she'd interrupt me. We all know how well that's worked in the past... I was going a little crazy.

Master, Mom and I had three bottles of soju together, Master and I downing most of it.

In Korea, it's a big deal to pay for dinner. Generally the person doing the inviting or the oldest person pays. People will argue—animatedly—at the register over who will pay. I've argued a few times with friends, but one of us has always acquiesced fairly quickly. I have, however, never argued with Master when we've gone out together because I knew he'd never let me pay since he was always doing the inviting, since he's older (even if only by seven weeks!) and since he's Master.

I knew we were going to have to argue over dinner. For months I have occasionally considered how I would argue in Korean if we all went out for dinner together and I warned my parents that we'd have to argue.

As soon as we left the room we'd been eating in (Master had reserved a large room for us), we started arguing. Master had the check in his hand and wouldn't give it up. I started with "No, Master, you always pay, please let us pay this time." Master and his wife countered with "When we come to America, you can pay." This went back and forth while Mom and George immediately said, "No, we're grandparents." Finally Master said, "Amanda, I'm Kwanjangnim!" I said, "Master, how old are you? My parents are grandparents..." Still, I had to mostly wrestle the check out of his hand.

After that much soju, I was happy to agree to coffee when Master asked if we wanted some coffee. We went to Outback (attached to our hotel) and had coffee, kiwi juice, and cheese fries. (We let them pay for the check there. ㅋㅋ)

Somehow my pushups came up. Master found out I haven't been doing them and mandated I do the knuckle position holding for thirty seconds twice, 54 pushups, and 10 striking stances. He made sure my parents promised to watch.

"But you are my friend! You are not 'kwajanjangnim' right now, you are 'Your Name!'"

"No, now, Kwanjangnim!" he teased.

While I was in the middle of doing sojuified pushups, I said to Mom and George, "When are you going home? Because I like it when I can skip my pushups."

George said, "Not soon enough to get out of this!"

Lantern Parade, Namsan, meeting Master and "my boys," Master bringing us to Bukak Skyway, the DMZ, and delicious pig's feet...

We've been busy.

Lanterns

Lantern

Amanda, Mom, and George at Namsan

Together With Master's Family

Bukak Pavilion View of Seoul at Night

North Korean Soldiers in the JSA

Ajumma Slicing Up Jokbal

Thursday is Buddha's Birthday.

Tomorrow there is a slew of activities near Insadong and one of the temples. I will miss the parade, festival, and concert because my parents are coming in, but tonight YJ and I went to Insadong to catch the eve celebration of the festival parade, which is a much smaller version of tomorrow.

I could kick myself because I forgot my camera, but here are some (bad) shots from my handphone.

On another note, all of my conversations/practice sessions with YJ are becoming predictable: Korean men, taekwondo, President Bush.

"Why are you learning Korean?" I am learning Korean to talk to my taekwondo studiomates.

"How will you learn Korean quickly?" I will get a Korean boyfriend.

"What will you do after visiting Namsan?" I will go to taekwondo.

"What did you do before coming to Korea?" Well, I didn't vote for President Bush.

"How long will you stay in Korea?" Until President Bush isn't President. Or I get another dan in taekwondo. Or I marry a Korean.

It became a joke, how long we could go on giving one of those three answers to any number of questions.

"How will you make money?" I will sell my dobok.

"How will you get up early in the morning?" Well, my Korean boyfriend...

Also, I learned two new Korean words with my Chinese roots book.

별똥, meteorite, lit. "star feces."
약육강식, survival of the fittest, law of the jungle, lit. "weak meat strong eat."

Love it.

My mom and stepdad are coming to visit me in two sleeps. Two sleeps!

Monday we're doing things around Seoul (palaces, Namsan tower, etc) and going to taekwondo together. Tuesday we're going to the DMZ. Wednesday is my mom's birthday and we're going to the teafields and bamboo forest. Thursday is Buddha's birthday and we're probably going to a temple and taking it easy. Friday is unplanned so far and Saturday we're doing some shopping in Insadong and watching NewSabumnim's demonstration team.

I am excited about all of it, but especially Mom and George getting to meet Master's family and "my boys" and seeing me do taekwondo. Even though I took a taekwondo class in college, my parents have never seen me practice it.

Here a list of things my mom (and stepdad) need to know about Korea (mostly my mom, because she worries), in no particular order.

General Points About Korea

The biggest bill in Korea is 10,000 won, about ten dollars US. You will carry a stack of cash with you, sometimes very thick. Banks actually have little bags for you to put your money in. Don't flaunt your money, but don't worry about it. Korea is very safe.

Korea is changing all of their bills, so there are two styles of each paper note.

At most public bathrooms (ie in subway stations) the toilet paper is on a large roll outside of the stalls. Don't forget to get some.

At most public bathrooms soap is lacking. Koreans don't seem to wash their hands most of the time anyway.

The tour we're going on for your birthday to the teafields is a Korean one. I expect we will be the only foreigners. I also expect we will be some of the youngest people there. Heh.

The fact that George is a student at his age, and a nursing student!, is very unusual. So if you get funny looks, that's why.

If someone asks your age, it's not that rude. (It's sort of rude because you're a woman and older than 40, but they may still ask.) Tack two years onto your age before your birthday and one year on after your birthday. George needs to tack two years onto his age.

If you get called "ajumma" or "halmoni," it's a sign of respect. You may get called "halmoni" (grandma) by the kids at the studio, but I doubt it. George will get "ajosshi" or "halaboji."

Koreans may ask you these things: Where are you from, do you like Korea, can you eat spicy food, and did you know Korea has four seasons?

When walking up and down stairs, try to stay to the left. This is the general rule, sometimes it goes out the window.

Do not fear the autobikes on the sidewalk. Scratch that. Fear them.

Also fear for your life in taxis. Taxis are scary. Whatever you do, don't ask the taxi driver to slow down or say anything negative in any language, as that will only make things worse. Just close your eyes.

Fear walking anywhere in the road. If you hear honking, move to the side.

(About the above three points: I am now as used to it as the Koreans are, so you don't need to warn me that I'm about to be killed. I know.)

Do not talk about the FTA.

Street food is safe and we are going to eat it, so please don't lecture me on how I'm going to die. ^^

I know you're proud of Johnny, but a lot of people don't like the US military here (especially younger Koreans) so if you talk about him, just say he's a firefighter.

When you meet Korean friends, I will tell you their names, but you can promptly forget them because it's often very rude to use first names and you just don't do it.

Seoul sort of has a distinct...smell.

Old men on the subway will smell like any combination of these three things: soju, kimchi, and cigarettes.

You will get stared at. Especially since there will be three of us together at a time.

You may be told you're fat. Koreans like to state the obvious. "I am Korean." "It is raining." "Americans are fat." For the record, all Americans are fat. Even the skinny ones.

Don't drink the water.

When we eat Korean food Korean style, you will not die from some horrible disease. (Many restaurants have wet napkins that are awesome to use before eating.) After all, Koreans are still around, right?

Korean men (older ones mostly) spit in public. Watch where you walk.

Koreans often sneeze and cough without covering their mouths.

Yet women cover their mouths when they laugh.

Korean speech often sounds like whining to Western ears. It might make you slightly crazy.

Public drunkeness is not a crime.

If you want to eat dried squid snacks, tomato ice cream, or pine bud drink, we can do that. We can also suck snails out of their shells and eat silkworms.

Signs in Korea are backwards. In America we write "10 to 30% off!" In Korea it's "30 to 10% off!"

Dates are written YY.MM.DD or MM.DD.YY.

Very pretty boys wearing pink and carrying manbags are not gay. They are simply very pretty boys.

If you are offered coffee, you must accept. You will then be served this nasty instant coffee that is always 20 degrees too hot.

Take off your shoes!

When we meet Master's family, he will probably practice his English phrases from our first lesson. ^^ I will teach you how to introduce yourself in Korean for the studio.

The boys at the studio will probably be too shy to say anything to you.

When you give anything to anyone, use your right hand only, two hands if you want to be polite.

Any gifts are to be opened later, in private to save face.

We will bargain in markets, even though I hate it.

For the DMZ tour, lunch is not included. Gimbap for all!

T-Cards (for the subway) are awesome and I will be preloading some with money for you.

You will see many t-shirts with horrible English on them. I mean horrible ranging from nonsensical sayings to things I won't publish on my own site. I recently saw a businesswoman wearing a blouse with "Italian hot cooks" written all over it. Except one of the "o"s in "cooks" was really a "c."

Ignore the men at the airport who try to "help." Darn taxi drivers get in the way!

I don't speak nearly as much Korean as you probably think I do. You are warned.

OK, I've never in my life been tagged but Joanne just tagged me. I'll play because this one isn't 100 Things or Friday Five but I refuse to tag anyone. If you want to be tagged, I'll tag you. Just leave a comment.

Rules:

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and need to read your blog.

The facts:

1) When I was six years old, we were driving from Minnesota to Florida for a Christmas trip. (My parents were still married; I suspect this was The Last Big Family Thing but have no proof.) I decided to stick an M&M up my nose. I was just trying to fit in into my nostril because Penny on PeeWee Herman had yellow eyes and I wanted them too, but I couldn't stick the M&M in my eyeball, duh. So up my nose it went. It got stuck. Mom basically rubbed the outside of my nose until it melted.

2) I do remember my mom telling me (us) she was coming back from a temporary split that happened when I was four, two years earlier than their divorce. I don't, however, remember my parents telling us (me) they were going to get divorced. I am glad I don't remember.

3) My mother and father have at various points apologized for not doing or not giving or not being enough when we were kids. I don't know what the hell they're talking about, and I've told them both so in exactly those words.

4) My father used to take my brother and me fishing at Loring Park when we were kids. We didn't have fishing licenses and I'm pretty sure it was illegal, but nobody every bothered us, probably because we were cute.

My brother and I sold candy bars to go to YMCA Day Camp Kici Yapi for two years in a row. The first time we were there a week, the second time two weeks.

We had a spiel. I would start it. "Hi, my name is Amanda."

"And I'm Johnny."

I'd thumb my chest, "I'm the smart one!"

"And I'm the cute one," Johnny would say. Two years younger and a mess of red hair, he was cute.

Together we'd say, "And we're selling candy bars to go to camp!"

We would stand outside of the movie theaters in Uptown and say, "You should buy from us because it's the same price as in there but half of the money sends us to camp!" Like fishing, we never got in trouble. (Like fishing, this was Dad's idea.)

5) When I was a kid, I wondered how my mom ever dated because she was always with us or working. I know how she met my stepfather George, but I still don't see how she had the time.

I remember Johnny and me saying that George sounded like a balding man. We met him. And he was.

Speaking of George, I hated being asked in school if I "liked my stepdad." Nobody ever asked if I liked my mom or dad or brother. After years of answering, "Why don't you ask me if I like my mother or father?" I switched to a kinder, "I am very lucky, I have three parents who love me."

In Korea, divorce after having children is very, very rare, so I often get "oh you poor baby, you have a stepfather" thrown at me. I grin as if I don't understand and say, "I know! I am very happy! I get two fathers!"

I really mean it, too.

6) My brother and I didn't like each other until we'd both moved out of the house. I graduated from college, he graduated from boot camp, and all of a sudden, we actually liked each other.

7) My best friend in the world is Mark. We met when we were 11 (spring of 5th grade) but didn't become friends until fall of 6th grade when we were in the same class and 12 years old.

Mark and I once made a pact to get married at 25 if we were both still unmarried.

We didn't follow through.

Our mothers still want us to marry.

Tonight's class was awesome.

We have a new white belt student. She was shocked that my name was Amanda when I told her two weeks ago. Chatty talks so much.

"You talk a lot," I said in Korean.

"I know. It's true."

"In America, me too!" I said.

She also listens. "Please don't call me 'foreigner,' my name is 'Amanda.'" Immediately I became "Amanda-eonni" or "Eonni" (Big Sister).

Last week she was prattling off some questions and I said, "Honey, I don't speak Korean. Speak slowly. Easy. Then I can understand."

Unlike adults, who can't seem to adjust their language half the time, she does! I can't believe it! She is awesome! "Amanda Big Sister...Japan..." I nod, "Japan...you know?"

"Yes. I have been there."

"Oh." She froze.

I whispered, "But I can't read anything. I like Korea because I can read a little."

"Ah! Good!"

Then Ghost said, "I hate Japan!"

I went to teaching kids who were (sometimes) taught to hate whites in the South to training with kids who are (sometimes) taught to hate the Japanese.

That wasn't why class was good though. Only eight people were in class tonight and after 9 pm it was down to five. (One of the schools is on a camping trip and it was pouring rain.)

So Master gave us a lecture on point-sparring. Finally some things I have wondered about were explained and best of all, I understood 90% of it without needing to look up any words. And it wasn't just understanding because of context or watching him; I actually knew the vocabulary. And I got to ask more detailed questions based on things I've seen because I've been watching tournaments.

Assa!

Master has been having us get into push-up position on our fists. We've been holding it for approximately 30 seconds.

After a week of doing this, my knuckles are almost done hurting.

Almost.

Scholar

I meet a lot of people on the subway. Usually when I'm studying Korean. I almost always give them my namecard, and they promise to call or email but never do. A lot of students introduce themselves to me, but they don't have namecards, so I don't have a way to contact them.

Tuesday night I was studying Korean and listening to my iPod. A young man sat next to me while a friend of his stood in front of him. He spoke in English, "Excuse me, are you studying Korean?" His friend told him to leave me alone, but I ignored it.

"Yes."

"I think that must be very difficult."

"Yes, it is, but I like it," I said.

"Why are you studying Korean?"

I knew he was being friendly but I laughed. "Because I live here!"

He studies French at one of the universities. (It's very unusual to meet someone who's studying French here!) He said he was interested in helping me learn Korean if I wanted to. After two or three stops his friend departed. At the fifth stop, I needed to transfer. I gave him my namecard and pointed out my email. He asked if he could call and I said yes, thinking, He'll never call.

As I was exiting, I glanced back and saw him looking intently at my namecard, punching numbers into his handphone. I was wondering if he was through with his compulsory military service yet...

"I Talked to My Father."

We got together yesterday for lunch. We had Korean food, briefly toured his campus, and then downed coffee while chatting. He ran to COEX with me to help me choose baby gifts and made sure I knew where I was going for the baby's party.

He told me he chose the pencil at his first birthday party, which, after our conversing, came as no surprise to me.

Scholar has never studied abroad and speaks excellent English. His interest in both French and English was piqued by literature and he's also studied a small amount of Russian.

Seems Scholar talked to his father Friday night, who works in a job that requires English. Scholar was advised about Americans and was warned not to ask about my ex-boyfriends, which, according to him, is a "typical Korean question." (Today, when I met YJ she laughed and said, "No it's not! He's just trying to...no, it's not!")

I saw the opportunity. "어자친구 있어요?" Do you have a girlfriend?

"아니요." No.

"왜요?" Why not?

He blushed. I said, "I'm sorry, Koreans always ask me that and I had to say it. They also always ask me my blood type and my ddi."

He scrunched up his face. "I was on a blind date once and the girl asked my blood type. Then she got up and left."

"Ah. You're type B. And you're a Rat, right?"

He sighed. "Yes I'm B. But rats aren't bad!"

Women and Men

Scholar glanced at me. "It seems like foreign men are willing to date Koreans, but foreign women aren't interested in Koreans..."

"I don't think that's the case. I think a lot of foreign women would date Korean men. But Korean men are afraid to approach foreign women. Korean men are too shy."

"But shy people can have very good qualities," he said.

"But if they never introduce themselves, how do you know?"

"I think I'm shy."

I smiled, "You started talking to me on the subway."

"You were studying Korean! I was very impressed. But...I am very shy."

Grandpa

Later, on the subway, I was complimenting his English. "But it's not that good," he said.

"Hey, who's the oldest one here? Who? Yep, me. So I'm right."

Scholar protested. "I'm the oldest one in the French program at my university. They call me 'Grandpa' because I seem older than 24."

"Oh my God. You are so young. Wait..." I did the math. "You're older than my sister-in-law at least."

"The French program is full of women. But I am too old for them."

I was confused. "But you're through your military service. They should like that."

"No, women in Korea like younger men." He shook his head, "I'm not too young."

"Last Night...I Came Up With Something For You..."

While we were drinking coffee Scholar said, "I really think that learning Chinese characters would be good for your Korean. And I want to help you with that."

"I think it's good too, but I don't know enough Korean yet."

He reached for his vocabulary notebook and tore out a sheet of paper. "Last night...I came up with something for you." I looked at him suspiciously and he said, "It's not homework, don't worry..."

He wrote my name in Korean. "I thought last night about which Chinese characters you should have. Your name, like my sister's, means 'love,' I know, but in Chinese characters... Each character has a sound and there are many characters you could have..." I nodded.

He looked at me and wrote down 雅. "This means a lot of things, all good. It means 'fine,' 'elegant,' 'honest.' 'Elegance,' 'grace.'"

He wrote 滿. "This means 'full.' 'Abundant.'"

"多 is similar, it means 'many,' 'abundant.'"

He slid the paper across the table. "I think these are your Chinese characters."

Amanda
아만다
雅滿多

I looked at him. "You're going to have to teach me how to write that one day."

"I will. I want to."

Korean traditions and ramyeon...it's been a busy weekend...

"아. 가슴이 아파요."

Thursday night's class was...interesting. NewSabumnim had us doing some sort of leap-frogging thing over each other. I was put with Cocky and Tired Guy who are both taller than me. (I swear, when I met these boys they were all shorter than me except for Goalie.) They weren't crouching down, so I feared I wouldn't make it over them.

I made it over Cocky. Tired Guy was another story.

I landed on Tired Guy, knocking both of us to the ground. He fell forward one way, I fell forward another way. NewSabumnim was doubled over with laughter.

I had landed on my chest—hard. I rolled over. "아. 가슴이 아파요." Ah. My chest hurts.

This sent NewSabumnim into even stronger fits of laughter.

Brave hadn't been in class forever and he showed up Thursday night. I was so excited to see him. I made him sit down and we chatted for a bit. I was writing an essay on my home state in Korean, for writing practice. He fixed it for me. At the end of class I looked at it. I had dropped 9 markers (no shock) and made a few spelling and word choice errors, but really, it wasn't too bad. Of course, it was a low level of writing, but still...

I had written that you can walk across the beginning of the Mississippi River with five steps. Cocky, Blue, and Brave all tried to figure out what I meant. After acting out what I was trying to say at least five times they understood; turns out what I'd written was correct, after all. Since it wasn't clear, however, I added a sentence before that saying that at the headwaters the river is narrow. (Page two of this post includes the essay in Korean and English.)

After class I went out for ramyeon with Cocky, Blue, Brave, and Crybaby. Blue had gotten some new manga books from the book/video/DVD store. I was doing a dramatic reading, pleased that I understood, "I don't...want...to die... Must...find strength."

"루즈."

Friday night we played soccer. Fun was had by all and Shy Blue Belt (now with a brown stripe) was there because she'd missed the earlier class. She helped me with my Korean homework.

After class I ran down to the office to ask Master a question. He was busy so I asked his wife. As soon as I said 안녕하세요 his daughter yelled, "Amanda! Amanda!" and came running out of the kitchen, her brother following close behind.

I laughed, knelt down and said, "나도 사랑해." I love you, too.

She looked at me and whispered, "루즈" Rujeu. Rouge.

"네, 있어," I reached into my bag, Yes, I have it. She and her brother dipped into the pot in their normal fashion.

Baby's First Birthday, Korean Style and Soju Rules (Always)

This evening I went to TempMaster's baby's first birthday party (돌잔치). This is a huge deal in Korea, so I knew when I got the invitation that I should go. The 100 day birthday and 60th birthday (Western age) are the two other most important birthdays in Korea. The former because it means you've survived 100 days, the latter because it means you've gone through all the animals and elements of the Chinese (Oriental) Zodiac.

Gold rings are the customary gift, but since I'm not very close to the family and since I can get away with near anything due to my foreignness, I bought the baby three books. I bought three touch and feel books in English—1-10, Dinosaurs and ABCs. Hey, his father speaks quite a bit of English and I'm an English teacher. I also wrapped up TempMaster's Yong-In t-shirt and gave it to him.

I arrived at the subway station but had no idea where to go. I called TempMaster and he told me to wait for Mr. Kim. You know that saying, "Like finding a needle in a haystack?" Korea has "Like finding Mr. Kim in Seoul." I never found Mr. Kim, so I got a taxi driver to help me. Turns out the party was at a wedding hall approximately 30 meters in front of me. "Pin-kuh?" I said, pointing to the sign.

"Nay!" I tried to give him some money for helping me, but he refused.

I got there, found the name on the board and walked up to the third floor. These wedding halls are a strange thing to me. There are sometimes dozens of different activities going on. Unlike weddings, you don't pay your way into the reception. I showed the two people at the reception hall the invitation on my handphone (love Korea!) and was given a green sticker. I walked into the hall and Master greeted me. He introduced me to his parents (I've briefly met his mother) and his wife and then his mom made me go get food.

When I returned, Master seated me at a table with two women. He said, "She speaks Korean." I looked horrified and said, "No, no, I don't speak Korean." A man joined us later. One of the women was a kindergarten teacher, one went to Ewha (where YJ went) and is studying philosophy (!). The man was studying to become a veterinarian or vet assistant, I couldn't figure out exactly which.

They were friendly and patient with my Korean. I gave them all my namecard and the Philosopher said she wanted to introduce me to some other philosopher students.

Philosopher asked if I drank soju and I said sure. She said she wanted some but she couldn't have any because the priest from her church (the same church TempMaster and Sabumnim go to) was there, but she could have beer. She poured me some soju, I poured her beer, we cheered and drank. When the man showed up, we had already been chatting for a bit. The teacher (I think she was his girlfriend) said, "You can drink soju together and become friends," to him.

That remark sums up how Koreans feel about drinking. You drink together and suddenly you're best friends. They define "social drinking" in a whole new way.

He said he couldn't because of the priest, but as soon as the women went to get more food, he peered around and nodded. I poured for him, he poured for me and we began to cheer. "Wait," I said in Korean, "how old are you?"

Guess I've learned the Soju Rules.

참 이슬 Soju

The conversation with the three of them was pleasant. Philosopher asked if I had a boyfriend. "No, do you?"

"Um, we broke up three days ago."

A few moments later she suddenly said in English, "Love is anguish!"

She also informed me that the best way to improve my Korean was to get a Korean boyfriend. I said, "But I don't understand Korean men! I maybe had a date today. But I'm not sure. American men, I sometimes understand. Korean men are complicated. I don't understand them."

She sighed dramatically. "Me too!"

They had to leave before the biggest part of the party, but I guess everyone was afraid of leaving The Foreigner alone, so they got TempMaster's Wife to come chat with me. I told her I was fine, but we chatted a bit in Korean.

While conversing with the three younger people and TempMaster's Wife I realized that I'm still picking out key words and missing other words. So I think they're asking "Where are you from" (America) when they mean in Seoul. Still, I'm improving.

Finally, after an hour and a half, the most important part of the ceremony happened. An MC welcomed us all and did not fail to mention the waygookin in the room. I wish I were kidding, but he actually mentioned me. I just shook my head and smiled, looking at TempMaster.

(As a side note, is it better to be openly mentioned or to be silently wondered about as a single person of a different race would be at an event in the States?)

A big pink…thing came into the hall and started dancing around. The MC made two people (a man and a woman that TempMaster chose) dance with the bunny and then asked if they were single (they were) and tried to get them to exchange phone numbers.

The MC bowed in the family (like we do in taekwondo). We sang "Happy Birthday" and the baby and family cut a large cake together.

Then the MC gave a large platter to the family for the fortune-telling. Traditionally, this platter would have money, a thread, a pen, and a book on it. Although I've been told some different things, these could stand for wealth, long life, writing (or studying), and studying.

This time I could see a bowl of uncooked rice, and a computer mouse on the tray, along with some things I couldn't identify from where I was sitting. Someone said, "Money!" and placed 10,000 won on the tray. Other guests then ran up to give the baby money.

The family then held the tray out for the baby and he reached for what he wanted. He reached into the bowl of rice and picked it up over and over. I found out this means he'll be rich and have a good life.

I left shortly after, thanking TempMaster, his wife, and his parents for inviting me.

I didn't expect to get to see a baby's first birthday six months ago, when Master and I were discussing what sort of training I should do when I couldn't come to class for a month. Even though I was singled out for being the foreigner, I felt fairly comfortable at today's party. Certainly as comfortable as I felt in America going to weddings where I didn't know most of the other guests.

The more Koreans I get to know, even casually, the more at home this country feels.

And the food was delicious!

Pages: 1 2

Happy birthday, Dad! Saengil chukkuhamnida!

I didn't make it to last night's class since I fell asleep an hour before I was supposed to leave and woke up more than an hour after I was supposed to leave...

Tuesday's class, however, was great. NewSabumnim ran us through a bunch of kicking drills. At one point she told me to twist my foot more on my roundhouse kicks.

"Master always says that," I said in Korean. "하지만...할수 없어요. 아마...다음 달에 할수 있어요." But...it's impossible. Maybe...next month it's possible. Luckily she burst out laughing, which is what I wanted. I wasn't trying to be insolent.

We were doing turning back kicks (hook kicks? I have no idea what to call them in English) and she was having each of us stand next to her while she held the target. We were supposed to be looking at something. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out what we were supposed to be noticing. She tried to make me understand I tried to understand but... I was however, very grateful that she included me in the line up of watchers rather than figuring I wouldn't understand so I shouldn't watch. One day I will understand what she wanted me to notice.

The last half hour of class was primarily a lecuture from NewSabumnim about respecting your parents and doing chores. She was making everyone say "I promise" after each lecture point. I'm sure this was done in part because Tuesday was Parent's day.

I listened politely but kept my mouth shut. In Korea you live with your parents until you're married (generally speaking, YJ is 30 and just moved out of her parents' home a few months ago). I remember H once saying that his brother (about 30 years old?) "is independent but still very respectful of our parents." I can't convey how he was treating the word "independent," as if it were a bad thing.

I was mentally practicing how to say "I am 28 years old. I have not lived with my parents since I was 18. In America, being independent is good," if she said something to me. Luckily, she didn't.

Then she left and Master came to talk to us about the tournament on June 6th. He told me that he called to check that I could compete, and I can! I won't be the oldest one there because Goalie's Mother will be doing poomsae competition.

Afterwards he helped me with the form. I'm going to do striking (격파) and poomsae (품새). There's an option to do each one as a team vs independently. I asked what that meant. As a team, you start and stop at the same time. It didn't sound like it was necessarily a team you chose, which seemed odd to be. The individual style means that 8 or 10 or 12 (I can't remember) people are all doing the same form, but they may be off of each other. He recommended I do it individually, which was my own idea.

For poomsae, I'll be doing Koryeo and my choice of either Sa Jang or Pal Jang. I laughed when he said I'd be doing Koryeo. "What, you don't know it?" I know it as well as Ghost and Brave's Brother and Unnamed One have taught it to me. Master hasn't even gone over all the steps with me and he's the one who does a good job of explaining why I'm doing something.

In any case, at our school anyone who wants to compete and is able to (has a black belt) does. That means I don't feel a ton of pressure.

Saturday was Children's Day in Korea. Parents give children small gifts and they play and spend the day together. Now, I think every day up until the kids start elementary school is children's day in Korea. After that, it's Get To Work Now, Study All the Time and Never Play day. Then they get to college and it's Party and Drink Until You're Stupid day.

Today is Parents' Day in Korea. Ghost told me he's giving his parents socks, probably because his uncle (mother's sister's husband) owns the sock shop.

Last night Master didn't teach class at all. He popped in long enough to tell me that we'd start English lessons next Tuesday. We did some sprinting drills, target practice, and poomsae work.

During the break, Ghost helped me with my Korean homework. At the end of each Sogang level, there's a section on accuracy (writing exercises) and a section of fluency (speaking exercises). The fluency section has about a dozen sections of questions. Your name and family, where you live, why you study Korean, comparing your home country and Korea, what you do in free time, travel plans, etc. I photocopied that section. Sunday YJ chose a few sections randomly to drill me on. H chose different sections randomly. Yesterday Ghost went straight through the un-checked sections and spoke with me. Ghost spoke very quickly, much quicker than YJ or H, which was good for me because I truly had to pick out just the key words.

After class I ran down to Master's office to give him the CDs I'd made. Then I found out why he wasn't teaching the class.

His mother was standing there. I've met her once and seen her once more in passing. She said something to me very quickly. I understood "Master's daughter...Amanda...drinking."

Master asked if I wanted to stay for dinner and soju. I think his daughter told his mother I should stay?

One: Drinking in Korea is a seen as a way to form tighter social bonds. I knew that if I declined—especially a first invitation—it could very well have been seend as a slight.

Two: Invitations in Korea are often last-minute. I'm getting used to this.

Three: I also knew we'd be drinking and eating past train time.

Combining these three factors, but knowing I had no money for a taxi, I said, "Yes, I can stay, but I have to meet a friend. I have to give her a book. Give me ten minutes." I ran to the ATM and got some cash.

Pig's Legs

When I returned, Master asked if I knew what jokbal was. Yes, I've had it once. It's pig's legs. It's an interesting thing to eat because it's very fatty and gelatinous and the skin is sort of crunchy.

I went into the kitchen and his father told me where to sit. Master explained that Tuesday was Parents' Day but that his parents were very busy, so they were celebrating with dinner last night instead of today.

Shortly after I sat down, Master's Brother arrived. I was sitting facing the door to the kitchen. I've met Master's Brother's wife once, very briefly, mostly in darkness, when I passed them on the street together. She saw me and was obviously surprised. I have a feeling that any non-family member—Korean or Western—would have surprised her.

I was sitting at one end of the table, Master's Father on my right and his Mother to my left. Master satnext to his father and Master's Brother sat next to his mother.

I have been told that traditionally, daughters-in-law sit in the kitchen and waited until the men (and sometimes unmarried daughters) finish eating. Then they got the leftovers of whatever was eaten. The eldest-son's-wife has an especially hard job as generally the whole family will converge upon her house and she's in charge of cooking all of the food.

(Master's Brother is the eldest son, but if I understand correctly, the house Master lives in was the house he grew up in, so I think when his parents come over, they go to that house. I think they generally go to his parents' house for the big holidays.)

Knowing this, where were the wives? In the next room, playing with the three children. At the very end of our meal they reappeared, not eat what little food was left over, but to cook more food for us to eat.

It was interesting to see family dynamics at play as a guest. Even more interesting because of some things his parents said to me...

Soju Rules

Master asked if I remembered the Soju Rules. I said, "I hope so. Help me, OK?"

I remembered to use two hands for everything, which was probably the most important part. At one point I missed that his father's glass was empty (and it would have been my job to pour it since I was the youngest) but Master passed me a bottle so I took care of it. Meanwhile, Master's Mother topped off my glass even though I was taught not to. Master even said, "She has some soju," but he mother disagreed.

Master's Parents

His father was heaping food into my dish (using his own chopsticks, my mom would freak) and his mother even fed me straight from her chopsticks twice ("Is your mother trying to feed me?" I asked in English).

Master's Mother is hilarious. She was speaking so quickly to me. Master would say, "You need to slow down, she doesn't understand. She's still learning!"

His mother taught me a cheer to use with people younger than you. Master said, "No, Amanda, cancel, OK? Cancel." But his mother made me say it with her.

His mother was also a huge fan of "one shot." "One shot, OK? One shot."

Master would say, "Amanda, slowly, OK?" and I'd say "half shot."

His mother would break in, "OK, but next time, one shot."

Master's Father is a bit quieter, but he was amusing me, too. He asked when I was going to go back to America. I said I wasn't sure. I explained that life in America is easy, so it's boring. Life in Korea is difficult, so it's interesting.

Master told them what was going on with my job. As I've said before, I like it when he retells stories I know because I can keep up with him. He even remembered to tell them that I never got an apology from my old boss. They were disgusted. Master's Father said he hoped my economy was good. I figured this meant my money situation.

Master's Father asked why I liked taekwondo and I said I didn't know. He kept asking. I said, "I understand, but I just like it." Then I said, "Master is a very good man. And so I like it. And outside of the studio, I am always a foreigner. Inside of the studio, I am just Amanda." Master helped explain that one a bit for me.

Master's Father said, "You have a good Kwanjangnim."

"I know." I just nodded my head.

It was interesting to watch Master interact with his family and me. He was translating—from Korean to korean—what I was saying and what his family was saying. It was neat. Much of the time they understood me or I understood them mostly, but I wanted to double-check a lot because I didn't want to make a fool out of myself.

"You Are a Daughter."

At some point Master's Mother explained that I was a daughter to her. She said, "I have no daughters. So you are my daughter. Like my sons' wives."

His father also said that I was a daughter to him, and his father told me that I was very lucky to be part of "Tongil Nambuk taekwondo family," and that there was only one "taekwondo family" in our city and very few in Korea.

The way they were talking...it felt very good. It felt like they meant it. Long ago, I felt like Master alternated between being Kwanjangnim, a mentor, a friend, and a big brother. Lately especially, I have felt like his family (wife and children) are my family. Being invited to eat dinner and have soju with his parents and brother made me really feel like part of their family.

This is part of the reason I am so excited my mom and stepdad are coming: they'll get to see the people that make me feel like Korea is another home.

Then, his father said that since it was our first time drinking together, he would pay for my taxi ride home. I wanted to argue but he's Master's Father and our studio president so I decided against it. I wanted to say "you're very generous" but I keep mixing up "geneous" and "jealous," so I decided to just bow deeply and say "thank you."

Soju and being adopted. Happy Korean Parents' Day to me...

A dozen photos from Osaka are up in the Gallery tab. Since I didn't have time to see anything, they're daily slices of life photos.

Saturday I burned some English-language MP3 CDs for Master. I figured out how to get songs that are on my iPod but not in my library back into my library so I can burn them to MP3s. Assa, because that's where most of my U2 music is. Turns out I have a complete copy of a 1992 concert in Sweden where U2 did "Dancing Queen" with the men from ABBA. Think I got that from an ex-boyfriend.

Sunday I met YJ and H (at different times) to practice Korean. I worked on the honorific form with YJ. I said, "One day [a certain politician] will die."

She threw her head on the table and laughed. Then she said, "You don't need to use honorifics for him, I don't think!"

Later with H I was practicing using adverbs (something he was teaching me since the book hasn't touched on that yet.) I said "Ninjas kill quickly and cleanly."

He shook his head, "You're too direct, Amanda."

I don't think H gets my sense of humor as much as YJ. Heck, at least now I can remember how to use both honorifics and adverbs. (Not that I'm fluent with honorifics!) I've got to make a language fun or emotional to remember it. That's why I embrace the really bad errors I make, like calling Studious delicious, saying my brother is gay, telling Master my monkey hurt... I will never make those mistakes again!

H and I met around 7 pm and he needed to get a haircut for his senior photos. I can't remember the last time I was with a man when he got a haircut. Of course, you don't often see a Western woman with a Korean man in a barber shop. Apparently the woman who cut his hair asked a ton of personal questions about me before he said, "You know, she's learning Korean." I wasn't even paying any attention.

We finally went back to the subway around 11, where I discovered that the last train to way-out-where-I'm-staying had already run. Due to a complicated bus mishap, I didn't get home till after 1 am.

That's me, working on adverbs until after the last train.

Koryeo

After doing a lot of concentrated kicking practice that has been neglected in favor of the demonstration, Master says, "Amanda, together, you do Koryeo three times, OK?"

I work with an un-nicknamed student and we do all 30 moves, even though I only know 8, even though when he counts, he only gets to 28.

After the second time, Ghost yells that we're doing it wrong and joins us to correct some hands (flat hands when they should be fists).

After three times we stopped and started chatting. Another un-nicknamed guy told me to practice more, so I grabbed his dobok and said, "OK, katchi!" He didn't much like it, but he did it. After we did the form 3 more times he finally agreed that I'd done enough.

Then I did it three times on my own with Coverboy, Brave's Brother, Ghost, and unnamed one watching and correcting me.

I think I almost have the basic moves down. Not that that means it's anywhere near learned.

Next Week, We Start English

During our target practice, Master is in line in front of me. We chat in Korean. "Next week, we start English, OK?"

"OK, what time?"

"I don't know, but one hour."

"Oh, Amanda, too hard!"

I break out the Korean phrases he uses on me. "Fighting, Master! Study hard!" The boys who are listening laugh.

Later, in his office, I realize he thinks I mean one hour a day. I explain that I mean one hour a week because we're both busy. "And you'll have homework," I say in Korean.

"Homework?" He shakes his head.

I use a new verb ending I learned. "You want to learn English, right?" His wife laughs.

I rub my hands together like Mr. Burns in the Simpsons. "Now I am the teacher..."

"I know," he says, not knowing the reference.

Competing

"Amanda, June 6th, competition. You compete OK? Kyeokpa and maybe poomse."

"I don't think I can. I'm foreign."

"Not KTA, only Gwangmyeong studios. You go Gwangmyeong, so it's OK. OK?"

When I interviewed with Master, I said I didn't want to compete. Now it's not that I want to compete so much as I want to support my studio.

I grin. "Yes."

"You Know!"

Master's handphone rings. His ringer is set to a song. While he answers the phone, I hum the song under my breath, singing the words I know.

"Amanda, you know!"

"Yes, it's Kim Gun-mo."

"Oooh, very good!"

"Master, you gave me the song!"

"Oh. Yeah."

Demonstration Photos

Photos of the demonstration are in the Gallery tab in the Taekwondo Demonstration album.

A preview...

Ready

A Knifehand Strike

Jumping Front Kick

Check out the album, there are some really good photos there.

Yes, I Have a Name

Monday night's class was, as I expected after the demonstration, a mass soccer game.

Some new kids were there, including a white belt (it was her first day) who was making me slightly crazy. She asked my name and I told her. Then she called me "the foreigner." No matter how many times I corrected her, I was "the foreigner."

"Hey. My name is not 'the foreigner.' My name is Amanda."

"Really?"

I held out my belt so she could read it. "Yes, really."

Cocky came to class, discovered I was in the closet (and thus he couldn't barge in like the boys normally do to each other) and flicked the lights off on me. Without even thinking I yelled in English, "Cocky, you'd better turn on that light before I come out there and kick your butt!"

Apparently, his English name is Cocky and I only use his Korean name when speaking Korean.

He told me it was his birthday and asked if I had a gift for him. No, of course not, I didn't know it was his birthday but did he want to go out for soju? "No, Amanda, test tomorrow."

Soccer was a blast. Cocky's team started some sort of "NICE!" cheer when they scored, so I started our team on "SWEET!" which was so-much-cooler because it was slang.

Japan, Shoes, Ice Cream

I went to Japan (Osaka) yesterday and got back today. Spent all of 30 hours there. The consulate wanted the original contract, which wasn't on my list to bring and which I didn't happen. I very nearly started crying when she said they wouldn't accept faxes, but then the friends I'm staying with called and somehow...an hour later is was all worked out.

Then I had to find my Korean-owned-no-English-speakers-hotel, which involved a phone call entirely in Korean and two hours of wandering around. The hotel itself, Osaka Guesthouse was nice enough. Inexpensive, shared baths, clean, comfortable, quiet, and in a nice neighborhood, tucked away. (No, it looks nothing like the photo on the first page of their website.)

Interestingly, I was wearing my Yongin t-shirt yesterday. At the airport, the woman who sold sandwiches was speaking English to every white person. Yet she spoke Korean to me. At the end of our transaction, she asked if I was a student. The guy at Osaka House flipped out that I knew taekwondo, loved it.

I got to the guesthouse and promptly took a three-hour nap. Exciting woman I am, I go to Japan and sleep. I found dinner at this interesting little restaurant. You feed your Yen into a machine and push the picture that matches what you want. It spits out your change and a ticket. You sit down, the waitress takes you ticket, and minutes later, a tray of yummy food is in front of you.

I ate there twice and enjoyed the meals very much but I wondered if the restaurant wasn't a front for prostitution since out of the 2 dozen people I saw in there total, I was the only female patron. Hmmmm...

Ate some delicious cantaloupe ice cream last night, got into a chat with the employees and some guy who was standing there. He told me to try the green tea next time, but I simply didn't have time before I left. They were all very friendly, and the man who was standing there was hilarious. He yelled that America was the greatest place on earth, then changed his mind when I told him I lived in Korea.

I then wandered around a bit and found a place that sold shoes and sporting goods. (As a side note for anyone interested in shoes, when I explored the neighborhood during the daytime, I discovered that I was in the shoe district or something. If you want shoes in Osaka, go there!)

The store had Converse All Stars for cheap, cheap, cheap (less than 3,000 Yen). I bought two pairs—a black pair and a red pair—of low tops. Oh man, I was so excited to find these shoes for cheap. The salesguy (who spoke very little English but was a riot to work with) was very grateful that I bought two pairs.

Crashed at 9 or 10 pm. I have been exhausted lately.

Picked up my visa this morning, had an amazing 600 Yen sundae, called my Mom from Japan, did some CD shopping (U2!), and came back home. On the bus ride from the airport, the man next to me struck up a conversation and we had a brief little talk in Korean. Standard topics, but good practice nonetheless.

Over all, a better trip than last time. Still frustrated that I can't read, still frustrated that the trip is long enough that you want to do something and short enough that you can't.