a love for hongcho

What's the big deal with HongCho? I love it. That's all that really matters. The pomegranate vinegar juice concentrate can be added to water or used in sauces, yogurt, salad dressings, milk, carbonated water, etc. I use it as flavoring for my water as a thirst quencher. The packaging and various reviews state that the vinegar:

1. Supports the rate of digestion. 
2. Helps absorb calcium. 
3. Is an addition to everyday healthier life. 
4. AND. is a vital quencher. "So refreshing!" 

For the best taste add one part vinegar to three parts water. 

Best taste: Hongcho 1: Water 3

Strong taste: Hongcho 1: Water 2

Light taste: Hongcho 1: Water 4

A serving size is 12 tsp. 

You can drink the beverage after a meal, after a shower, after a workout or anytime of day you feel the need to drink something so delicious. I like to drink it after or with some meals and after exercising. I often dilute it with water and drink it anytime a moment of thirst comes over me. I have to drink as much water as I can on a daily basis, so thankfully I have Hongcho flavoring or lemon for my water.  I have more stamina and energy after I drink a glass of this goodness.  

I bought a 3 pack (2 pomegranate and 1 blackberry) Hongcho vinegar mix from Zion Market here in San Diego last week. It was on sale. Taste it! You can grab yourself some over on Amazon, if you're not close to a Korean market! Click pic below. It's delish.

So I went to Korea...the beginning of something new.

If you didn't get to see any pictures, I will share some first experiences here and include brief intermixed excerpts of the rare journal entry or two I wrote. :)

I went to Korea for 2 weeks on a whirlwind of a journey. I barely had time to process the events as we moved from one place to the next so fast. I was honored to be able to go to Korea with the InKAS Summer Camp program. InKAS stands for International Korean Adoptee Service. During our 10 day trip we traveled to various cities, toured cultural sites, learned a large amount of history, and made many friends. I also received the opportunity to reconnect with my Korean biological family, meet my brother from my real adoptive family (+ his bff and bf's gf) and spend the last few days of my journey meeting many old friends. I planned on journaling or spending time processing through the trip, but found myself rather busy meeting people and keeping up with the excitement.

Even three weeks after my return, I come back to ponder remembering the people I met and the novel experiences in South Korea.  Not until landing in Korea, did I realize how blessed I am to know so many precious people all in one small country.  There are many people in my life connected to that country. Korea will always have a large place in my heart regardless of where I live in the world.  

Koreans are very hospitable to their foreign friends and especially loving and kind because of what they call "jeong" - a special term for a deep bond, love, or affection only known in Korean.  I was warmly welcomed and experienced this feeling of "jeong" immediately after arriving in Korea.  

The first day, I landed at 430am and had the whole day free. I spent some time lollygagging around the airport until shuttle service opened, soaking in the "fresh" hot, humid Seoul air. I use quotes here because I actually arrived on one of the hottest days of the year thus far and on a day with "ozone layer" warnings cautioning people to be careful and stay indoors because the air was so dirty! I began to process the weight of what was to be on my shoulders as I journeyed forward. On the limousine bus, I did some deep breathing and meditative prayer to prepare my mind for the next couple of days.  I felt extremely peaceful and in a state of complete serenity.  I knew that this is where I was meant to be at this very time. 

I checked into my guesthouse. It was really uncomfortable, and the beds had some bugs or dirt in them, but the joy and exhilaration of being Korea alone overrode any negative feelings.  God only knows if I'll be living like this in a developing country or a country that doesn't have clean running water one day, so I figured I might as well let this be the beginning of that experience (even though I paid a lot for the room!).  By noontime, within four to six hours of landing, I was waiting outside of the all too familiar Sinchon subway station. The Sinchon area is home to some of the best universities including Yonsei, Ewha, and Sogang as well as lots of nightlife, food, bars, shops, and things to do for the young crowd.  I met with JH (friend's initials for anonymity), a good college friend. 'twas a beautiful day spent with this friend. She took me to a park where we walked around and then found a shady spot to rest and converse. It had been 3 years since we last met. Though much time had gone by, we reconnected like best friends picking up where we left off. We both hadn't changed a bit, we even looked the same. (Agh, I'm trying to look older! My baby Asian face doesn't always gain me the most respect or best treatment in the real world.) That evening another friend barged into the room with the guesthouse owner while I was deeply sound in my REM sleep finally able to rest after almost 30 to 40 hours of no sleep and a whole lot of jetlag. After the initial shock, and eventually coming to my senses she pulled me out of bed. We went out around 9pm and enjoyed a hot soup called samgyetang made up of a whole chicken. Eating this hot soup on a hot day increases sweating to cool the inner body. This lovely friend stayed the night.

The second day I met up with a different friend I briefly met during her last week in San Diego before returning to Korea. She asked me to meet her if I went to Korea. I kept that promise!  

That evening,  the Korean adoptee fun began with our welcoming dinner. I sat with my roommate and her friends from the Netherlands and the special Danish guy on the trip! From that moment, people began building friendships and sharing their stories. We were each fascinated with the number of other people present in the room from different countries clothed with various expressions of curiosity. We began to engage in social activities and travel the countryside with the help of some of the best leaders, organizers, and one of the most amazing women I've ever met - the President of InKAS. Her story and history deserve its own post in itself. She inspires me beyond comprehension.

My connections to Korea and friendships extended around the world after meeting adoptees on this trip from many different countries such as Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and France. Each and everyone of the adoptees had a very unique experience and background. Though different, we all shared the bond of being born in Korea and displaced or moved to grow up in another culture and country from the one of our blood.  This common factor brings the Korean adoptee community together creating an immediate connection. Korean adoptees as a whole have a unique history, a history that wants to be known and communicated to the Korean community.

We visited more sites than I can remember. We walked around Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, watched Nanta, traveled down to Mokpo to  visit the orphanage, met college students, toured a factory where gochujang sauce is made, visited COEX, went to the National Assembly, walked through Independence Hall in Cheonan and so much more. It was quite a trip.

The trip also had a fair share of its challenges and mini culture shocks. Having been to Korea in the past, I still find myself surprised by some of the differences. Despite these challenges, each time I return, I become a stronger person. There's always a new piece of me I didn't know existed until I return to the Motherland. Many of the other participants felt the same. After the short trip, several fellow participants already began making drastic changes altering the course of their life path.

I had been longing to go to Korea and only through a special opportunity such as returning with a program like InKAS was I able to return. To InKAS, I'm beyond grateful and indebted to you for this opportunity. Because of this trip, my eyes were opened to a parts of Korean history not only fascinating but relevant to the history of orphans and adoption in and out of Korea.  

This trip was only the beginning of many new things to come. I pray that my faith in the unknown circumstances of my current life situation will continue to grow as I prepare to find new ways to not only rediscover my own identity but give back in a relevant way that uses my life experiences.

So it is...


More to come later!

PS. I'm sorry the photos are really bad. My computer crashed and I have no good source for photos at the moment. Editing to come  

Guess what?

Exciting news!!!


I completed my 10 week Korean language course! Though I did not learn much from the class itself, I do feel more motivated to study and learn Korean. Exciting right? Maybe not.  To be honest, I must admit that as I review my check list of things I will do to study Korean, the one key point I failed to do was to study hanja (Chinese characters). In the midst of my other courses, work, and personal life I felt that is one thing I could let go. Perhaps I slacked on the writing part a bit, too. From now on, I'm going to at least incorporate a little bit of everything from the "I will" list found on that post. It's been a challenging year that's about to come full circle (the crazy began exactly one year ago from now), so as life gets on track and I regain physical health and stamina I plan on putting myself in full force to study the language.

Even more exciting! Now that our class is complete, my classmates have put together our own study group. Many of the study groups and classes I joined were not motivating and were slightly below level. No, I do not say this in pride, but to honestly admit my classmates and I were not challenged. The teacher's style was not effective for language learning for our class, so I am proud to say that despite our inability to glean much from class, my classmates came together to create our own study group and hire our own teacher.  I am proud of this group of people. We didn't like what we were getting. We challenged it. And, then we put our heads together and solved the problem by determining what we really wanted and needed. Our hunger and desire to learn the language are very much evident! We are going to learn! I look forward to engaging with a new tutor/teacher and sharing knowledge, experience, and motivation with my study partners as we embark on this second journey of learning.

Okay, so that wasn't the big announcement or exciting news, but check back next week and I will reveal the real exciting news. I am waiting for a few more pieces of the puzzle to come together before I can reveal it.

There are much bigger motivations to get the ball rolling on this language learning process!

Let's go!!


아녕 annyoung and have a great day!


HK

The Expat Life Video

This morning I found a video called "The Expat Life" in Seoul, South Korea on the internet. It's a professional video with future episodes to come following the lives of some expatriates in Seoul.  It highlights the lives of the characters, their reasons for visiting Korea and staying, and some of their thoughts about the future as they determine whether or not to make Seoul home for awhile longer.
I expected only a brief five minute video, but soon discovered that it was a full 20 minute plus video about expat life.  It gave me all of the warm fuzzy feelings of the memories of living in Korea.  [ I did not live in Seoul.]

After living in Korea, I find myself able to identify with the people in the video. As soon as I returned to America, I had a desire and longing to return to the motherland.  Many people I know changed the course of their lives after visiting Korea.  In fact, a three week trip led me back to Korea the very next year to teach English and learn about my Korean heritage as a Korean American adoptee. Some friends have been in Korea for several years. Some only a few months with plans to say several more.  Others returned to their states to major in Korean studies or language and fulfill newfound dreams abroad.  Whatever your purpose and goal for going abroad, it will change you.

Check it!

http://vimeo.com/53194281

Simply Yujacha

With winter creeping in like a thick fog and creating a frigid chill in the air, a hot beverage to soothe the mind and body sounds just about right.  What? You say you have a slight cough or sore throat, too?  It's that time of year isn't it?

I know the beverage for you. Yujacha (유자차) or citron tea.  Yujacha is similar to what most people know as marmalade. It is made of the citron fruit. Unlike the lemon or orange, the citron fruit is a smaller somewhat longer shaped fruit with little tasty juicy fruit to be eaten. The fruit is thinly sliced and made into a jelly-like preservable substance with the addition of honey or sugar.

In November (yes, this post is getting up a bit late), I received some citron tea from someone at a small company, Dalhae Trading, in exchange for some information and quotable remarks from my post about my love for tea and omijacha. To say the least, I was very excited to receive this package in the mail!  I absolutely love tea and yujacha is great during the winter cold season.

What do I do next? I grab a pot and boil up some water. I dish two spoon fulls of this delightful substance into the mug and I pour in some boiling water. Stir it up and give it a second to flavor up the water. Then, down my throat it goes all in one smooth relaxing move.  You'll notice, if inspecting the citron tea part of the fruit or pulp is used to make the substance. This makes reaching the bottom of the mug fun because now you have a chewy bittersweet treat awaiting you.  You've gotta like the pulpy-ness to enjoy the bottom of the mug and I certainly do!

Why do I drink this? 

1. It tastes good.
2. It's loaded with vitamin C-like healthiness and used as an herbal remedy to fight off winter illnesses.
3. It soothes a sore throat and a cough.
4. Did I say, it tastes good? Yes! You should try some.

Where can I find some of this goodness in a jar? 

You can find this in most Asian markets like the tea aisles of Korean or Japanese stores.
Or you could be adventurous and try to make some yourself.  Many cultures have their own version of the citron tea used to treat the common cold.

Where can fellow San Diegans find this? 
Well, I'm still working on answering this question. However, the Vietnamese and Chinese markets both sell the Korean version of the yujacha even with pretty Korean labels.
Writing on my love for all things Korea, I'm going to be biased and say that the Korean market/store Zion Market is the best place to shop, even for tea. Granted, I've only been there once as I'm still making time to get out and explore, but it was very large and fun to explore.  Look for more on that store later.

What other creative things can you do with your yujacha/citron tea/marmalade mix? 

The sky is the limit on this one folks.  Personally, I've used jelly and or this yujacha in chicken and salmon marinades. I've also used it as a sweetener on my morning toast.
How have others used it? And what ideas have I thought of or am I going to steal and recreate on my own?
One could make rolls, cake, muffins, cheesecake, mixed beverages, and so much more. Let your imagination run wild.  Check back in the next month for some of my crazy ideas.

This tea is simply delicious and may find itself marinading and glazing multiple treats of yours. Enjoy brainstorming the many things you can do with it while sipping on a hot mug of yujacha in order to stay warm and healthy this winter!


HK

WKB (Worldwide Korea blogger) Treats

What's better than getting paid to blog or work? Well, it could be receiving these sweet treats from the Korean Culture and Information Service aka www.korea.net for service as a Worldwide Korea blogger! Living overseas away from Korea we may not reap the same benefits as those able to attend cultural events in Korea. However, this year we will be united by remembering each other and looking at our cool Kpop calendars. They function as calendars, photo books, and a paper weight. Fantastic isn't it? A calendar with multiple uses. This calendar is stuffed with pictures of all the hot kpop groups and even filled with facts about Korean traditional instruments. For the Kpop and Korean tradtional music loving soul this is the perfect gift.  Thank you korea.net for this gift.

I hope that fellow bloggers will enjoy this gift and smile as 2012 kicks off to a great start.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.2

McDonald's: A sweet treat or trick?

I was Skyping with a friend in Taiwan. She showed me this nifty little treat card from McDonald's in her country. I've already come to the conclusion as I think many others have, that fast food for some odd reason tastes better in other countries (other than the US). It could be A) you miss your home countries "delicacies" and cuisines so much that any fast food often tastes delicious abroad. B) they sincerely put more effort into creating quality food [in Japan and Korea the food actually looks like the picture. Perfect. No joke.] and or C) they just have plain awesome things on their menu like bulgogi burgers in Korea.

Back to the treat card. The sweet card only increases my confidence in marketing and McDonald's options abroad.  The card, in one single purchase for the equivalent of one US dollar gets you free goodies and treats all summer long.  Here's how it works [see pic]: Buy any one item in the blue section and receive any one item for free in the bottom pink section.  There is no time window during the day and no limit to the use (as far as I was told.  I would guess that it may limit to one per day at each location.)  

Sounds like this McDonald's is out to super-size it's country or at least up its profits and increase number of consumers.  I was amazed by this little card, but it really does do the trick.  My friend is a testament to the marketing. She has significantly increased the amount of times she frequents the nearby McDonald's in her neighborhood.  I haven't worked up the nerve to ask if she has gained any weight, though.  

As for American McDonald's, they may or may not have changed their menu.  However, they're currently getting makeovers and serious face lifts.  McDonald's in the US is going for the Starbucks-esque feel.  Keep the customers for longer periods of time and therefore potentially increase their food intake. Also, by creating the comfortable environment people are more willing to want to take advantage of McD's as a hang out location.  Sorry kids, Ronald no more.  Again, in many other countries, McDonald's is like the Starbucks. Students up all hours of the night studying or enjoying a few laughs with friends. Let's see what the US can pull off.

so....why not jump on the bandwagon and feed the marketer's egos, giving your local golden arches some business! Take advantage of your nearest McDonald's and enjoy something tasty today! 

Happy fast food eating!    

Living with a disability in Korea

I read this article last week about KBS hiring a disabled person as an anchor .  KBS is a broadcasting system for Korea and it recently stated that it hired one of its first disabled news anchors.  In America something like this would never make news unless it was a famous person or had some significant meaning to the public.  There are  laws to protect individuals from discrimination of race, gender, and even disability when it comes to finding work. This does not mean an employer may not subconsciously be judging or choose another candidate over one that "appears" not to be able to complete the task as well as another. This would cause a lot of frustration among people I know if this were how things were run in America.

One of the interesting things about Korea is that most people with disabilities are rarely seen in society.  A lot of elderly and people with disabilities live in the shigol/countryside because many of the cities cannot entirely accommodate people with major disabilities. If such people do exist in the cities, they probably remain at home.
I hope that what this article says is true and that it will encourage other companies to in the future hire more people with visible differences whether or not they may be physical disabilities.  A physical disability does not constitute a mental disability. Plenty of elderly people lose control of their bodies before their minds.  (Although quite a bit do lose their minds before their bodies.)  People with muscular diseases may have trouble walking or speaking, but can perform with IQs much greater than the average person. For example,look at Stephen Hawking, and English physicist who lived with ALS, a motor neuron disease. He is a very well known scientist that  served as a professor in some of the best universities as well as traveled the world speaking about his work.

I want to see more accommodation and awareness for people with disabilities.  I don't want my friends, brothers, and sisters to be hidden from society because of a disability.  

A.Korean Flavor: Bibimbap 비빔밥

Hello, this is my first attempt to reminisce of the Korean flavors that I miss so much.  It is also an attempt to recreate a taste of Korea in a town that has almost no Koreans nor Korean ingredients!

For the first Korean flavor, I'll talk about one of the most simple, but tasty meals:  Bibimbap.

Bibimbap is one of the most popular simple Korean dishes. The definition means a mixture of many things.  It can be served cold or in a hot pot. The term for the bibimbap served in a hot pot is called dolsot bibimbap.

What I love about this dish is that it is so healthy and tasty. You can use any kinds of vegetables and flavors you would like to add to your rice.

Here is a picture of a cold bibimbap I made a few months prior while I still had kimchi around.

You can make this dish by using rice and chopping up some of your favorite vegetables found at your local food store or farmer's market during the correct season!

First make the rice as directed on the package or by your rice cooker.

Then pull out your vegetables and begin chopping away. I will admit that it is a timely process, but it is well worth it for the colorful dish.

Here are some of the basic ingredients found in the bowl above:

• kimchi (of course, the staple to every korean diet!  however, if you  cannot find it in your area like myself or do not like,  leave it out!)
• seaweed (known as kim or 김 in korean and found in your local food store in the asian food aisle)
• dark lettuce
• asian cabbage
• carrots
• bean sprouts

After the rice is done cooking put a dollop of rice into the bowl.  Add all of the delicious ingredients above plus any of your own favorites.

To top it off, you can fry a delicious egg and plop it on.  To add some spice, you can add red bean paste (gochujang) to the mix. Then, there you have a it, a delicious mix of veggies and rice.  

It can be served in the bowl like the picture and should be mixed up before eating. 

When at a Korean restaurant, try ordering dolsot bibimbap, the food in a hot pot.  The rice and veggies get warm and the flavors are brought out in a whole new way.  

Enjoy your bibimbap!

nourishment

BEWARE: Random tangents and lots ...

On Friday night I considered going to Busan. I wanted to meet with others, but their plans were not solidified. Regardless, something needed to happen. I wrote down a list of some touristy and site-seeing destinations I wanted to visit (and never got to more than two of them, which is fine, fine).

i had not yet seen the fall colors, something i miss dearly after spending some high school years on the east coast, and needed some time to refresh. Although I considered Seoul again, it was time for a much needed break. I longed to be away from everything here and in the presence of the creator. I longed to feed myself in more than one way.

soo...despite not knowing what my friends were doing, I was Busan

bound alone. 1 bus to the bus station --> 1 hour+ long bus ride to Daejeon --> 40 minute bus ride to the bus terminal in daejeon, and a --> 3+ hour ride brough

t me to Busan.... the loooooooooooong trip WAS GLORIOUS, indeed.

on this journey, my eyes and soul were fed. I was so thankful^^ that I was able to see the beautiful mountains and trees, catching the last glimpse of Autumn colors as the leaves fell from the trees and winter began to blow its way in with a chill. (IT WAS FREEZING this weekend!)

My spirit was fed.

On Saturday.... I read 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galations, and Ephesians +. I began to dig in and cherish a word of comfort and encouragement. I've been so torn up about my decision to stay in the same shigol/city until summer that I haven't slept at night. the kids at school are getting crazier and there is a lot of uncontrollable frustration and tension... Sometimes I

live in the WORLD, living up to someone else's expectations and letting my heart and patience go. While talking to my K scholar again tonight, we considered giving

up if we weren't working together in the future.. but NOOO. That's not the point. "I suck" (as some koreans say when they feel they are bad at something) in a lot of ways. Life away from our comforts and norms is not easy, but these are the test and trials we are to endure as we build strength to build up others. I came to love and share the light I'm given. instead of becoming hard and angry with my students, i must remember what it is to love. because i was loved , i can love..... . (Please help me love the child that I'd rather ask to leave and never come back for she, too, is hungry and broken; please let the light shine through. ---For he who said, "Let your light shine out of darkness", made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Back to the story: during my travel, I discovered that friends were heading in the same direction. so.....another 45 minute subway ride brought me to 자갈치 , the huge fish market.

and so my stomach was fed! We had the most delish, fresh

seafood for lunch. ...so fresh it was moving as we scorched it over the fire bringing it to its final seconds of life. ) :

then we ate pho. The best pho in Korea.

Then, we had waffles...

Then, we had 찜질방 food. Satisfaction at its best.

We landed at a decent 찜질방 (a lot of people come through here?) near the area we spent most of the time shopping and eating.... it had a fantabulous view and refreshing baths... (and Angella got an amazing pic of the bridge that lights up with different colors at night.)

After a short sleep, I woke up at 5am to someone's obnoxious alarm and decided to rise in awe of the night lights. As dawn approached, the ships headed out to 'sea' one by one and two by two, more and more they came. I watched the clouds roll in and out and...

dark become light... and night become day.... (cell phone pics) :

~some of them went out to sea on on ships, they were merchants on the mighty waters~

~where morning dawns and even fades, you call forth songs of joy~

if i rise on the wings of the dawn, if i settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me

해운대

~he has made his light shine upon us~

Then retracing my travel, back I came the next day. The real world!!

As the week progresses, I will continue to find meaning in life and my purpose here despite the obstacles in our way.

Peace

How I got my first ride with the police.

I had already had an eventful evening. (The only one in quite awhile.) Dinner and supplementary teaching, and a trip to the GS for ICECREAMMM. I'm addicted. In bed...I get a message from person 'B'. "I have a bite that's black and it hurts. " 'Okay, explain your symptoms, please."

"It kinda hurts. It's black and on the bottom of my foot. (It wasn't on the bottom. hahah)" "Please. I think I need to go to the doctor ASAP. Is it gangrene? Someone said it could be."

I look up gangrene and already knowing Person B's mosquito bite history, it is nothing but a blistered bite. I know 'B' is freaked out, so I figure out all my options because I'm ridiculously tired and just want to go to bed.

Haha...so I ask the neighbor (thank you!) and determine that all I can do is bring some first aid supplies. I'm chatting with Niel...and ask if there is anything someone can do in Korea at midnight for someone with an infection. I kept telling my friend it was nothing and we should wait it out. I determine that I need to calm my friend's fears and I head out with supplies, anyway. I keep this good guy on back up, just in case I can't keep the Korean convo straight with the locals.

I arrive to see my friend near the local GS Mart (I had just been there, haha) to find that the infection is really nothing much..."No, it really is. I'm gonna die. They're going to have to amputate." It's nothing hon...You'll survive. So I hand some wipes and cleaning stuff over and advise that it get checked in the morning at school. (After 7 years of the First Aid experience, I was almost positive it was okay. Kill me if it wasn't going to be...)

Person B and I keep talking while I noticed two guys walking up to the mart and sitting down. The younger one (which actually looked older than the 30 year old) was very wobbly and sounded a little mental (just the alcohol). He was totally gone.... "hyung, hyung, hyung... do this, do that... or what's going on?" hyung, hyung" all night.

Person B and I realize we should part ways...It's getting late and almost after midnight. We get up and Peson B agrees to walk with me part way because I came out.

We walk 2.5 blocks and realize the guys are a ways behind us, following. Are they following? Nah...Let's just walk fast. Hurry, I say in Korean and English.... Then she stops and they catch up with us. (AAARRRRGGHHHH)

"Where are you going? Where are you from?" They ask us. "You speaka English?" Yes, we speak English. "Yaeah..Eng-u-rish" I'm going home, I say. We want to go home. Home, me go home. Understand? The guy keeps looking at us and continues to get closer and move in. I ask "where do you live? Are you students? We really want to go home." (I'm kinda laughing on the inside and smiling too much, cuz I have no idea what I'm doing or how I'm getting home now.) Go, go... We want to go. Person B keeps asking what they are saying. Are they saying bad things? No, the y are not. I give her the info.

Then... chingu one, two (boy points at person B and other dude. Then (points me and him) three, four. Fuuurriendu!! Frriendu..? Understand? ) Yes, but we just want to go home. Anyway, it goes on (1,2, 3, and 4 and fffuriendu) and then we get dragged back to the GS Mart (literally.) Friends. We are willing to follow because they won't let us leave or go home and they have us in their hands already.

We talk and talk. Or I talk and let Person B answer if she understands. The guy is 30 and the other is 26 in Korean age. Creepos. One of them is from Seoul.... "We go home. You home. We want to take you home. Drinking? Drinking, drinking? Come. Come with us. Friends. Friends." NOOOOOO. NOOO It just goes on... and I'm going crazy. I want to go home. So we get up and say we're going ,but they don't let us go. They keep grabbing us and taking us back. I'm laughing the whole time or trying to suppress it and Person B keeps "It's all your fault, ...... Look what u got us into. I think I'm going to die. What are we going to do." I think I heard that it was my fault at least 20 times. Ugh, who got out of bed? I'm laughing because (I realized this morning) I'm on adrenaline and really not sure what we're doing. I'm not too afraid, just a little nervous. Person B just freaks out and raises her voice. "We'll be fine."

We head into the GS...sit there for 10 minutes and I keep laughing and B freaks out. We look out the window and they don't leave... arghh.. I call Niel, Help. What do I do? Can u translate for me? I can't do this alone. The whole time, I'm laughing. sorry friend. Niel translates and we now had to wait for the police. polishi...THey will come. They come... waitee. Okay?

Time rolls by and we look out the window. They're still there... And now we freak out because we are so upset that we called the police because these are nice guys. They just drunk men that can't get their hands off us and want friends to go home with. We really feel bad. What do police do?

Suddenly, some guy (who had been sitting at another table listening to us the second time we came back who had disappeared) drove up in a black car and pretty much scraped the side of his car on a chair. Could've run someone over.... he gets out and starts yelling at the guys or doing something (we can't tell as we are watching thru a window) Another guy comes and gangs up on them. It gets messy.

Our stalker dudes then step aside and start throwing fists at each other and gettin in a fight. Yeah...whose gonna win???? Eventually, all four men sit down and begin some civil conversation. WTF?

We're still worried what the police will do to the men? = (

Finally, the police drive up and walk into the GS. U come. Let's go now. Are you okay? Sure, I just wanna go home, I think. Home? Please? Thank you.

They take us out the door and walk person B home. I'm motioned to follow and go with them. We walk back and they say get in. ugh??? I get in the police car. (Yay my first ride in a police car and in Korea of all places.) My heart is racing as I fall into the car. "house, where? WHere is your house?" Go, right, left, right blah blah. They drop me off at my doorstep.

I get in and collapse on my bed. I start laughing and can't stop... then, I can' sleep because I realized how lucky and blessed I was to be with a friend and know some great people. It could have gone bad. Thank you so much for good friends.

I was exhausted today, but I did the best job in the whole of two weeks.