Thursday, September 11, 2008

10 Sep 08

Today was a big Korean culture day.  We had a bunch of language and culture familiarization classes in the morning.  Cool.  We also had a bus tour of various places in Gyeonggi-Do province.  Since Seoul is in this province, I was very hopeful that we’d be going downtown.  We didn’t.  We went to a town just north of Seoul: Uijanbu (not sure of spelling).  

Guy at welcome center who told jokes funny to him, but not to us.  He sang a song at the end of his presentation.  The funny part was when he told us his wife said, "don't sing to them, they'll all kill you"  I was readily reminded of the Japanese humor that didn't translate well.  We got spoons from the County building.  I think they are trying to promote their place globally.

Went shopping.  Saw a journal I should have bought, didn’t.  The store was like a multi-level Kmart.  Escalators were like ramps.  I had to run up one because I had gone too far down and was worried about time.

Very tired on the bus... bus ride to Unification Tower.  Built on site of a Key fortress in Joseon  period.  Sadness.  Replicated elementary school classrooms, average house, and clothing, etc. from North Korea.  Very decrepit, and saddening. 

Movie: Deathrace.  Good violent movie.

 

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