My main Brit

This is another presentation of the absolute unforgiveness of the camera when it comes to taking pictures of me. But to introdue, this is Jake, my best Brit mate who I spend ample ample ample amount of time with. He is lovely-he's from the real Birmingham, not the "Sham" of Michigan, he has a sense of humor that could make even the shrewest person chuckle, a killer wit, an uncanny ability to read me like a book and a weakness for me and my dancing obsession. I don't know what I would do without him...he might really enjoy reading that....

Skating Adventure

For a friend's birthday last week we decided to hit up the outdoor ice rink in central Seoul. I figured it would be packed, but I didn't really realize HOW packed. We got there at 4 ish to lace up and we're given passes to come back in three hours- the next possible time they could fit us on the ice. So like mature adults we decided to go to a bar and get our blood flowing a different way. And as one could guess, drinking for three hours only added to the ridiculousness of the outing.

Eventually we made our way back and collected our ice skates, all of which were about two sizes off what they should have been. The rental personnel asked us if we had gloves and socks, because if not we would have to rent them. Renting gloves?..... that just doesn't seem sanitary. Once on the ice we realized that the skates had probably not been sharpened since they were purchased years back. So with the alcohol coursing through our veins, the absolute inability to stand on unsharpened skates, and with half a million small Korean children running into our legs on their unsharpened skates, we attempted to skate. No one wiped out-miraculously- but from the picture you can tell I was hanging on by a thread. Quite the afternoon.

What's wrong with your face?

What I've had to be convinced over the past four months is in Korea bluntness is not meant to be mean it is supposed to be a way to express concern for friends and co-workers. The frankness in combination with the language barrier, however, is something that has to be taken with a large lick of salt and a thick skin.

About two months ago one of my bosses needed to take a picture of me for an ID card. For two days she came into my classroom, looked at me, and actually refused to take my picture......... The same boss took a picture of my friend Paul when he was growing out his beard for his ID card and when he got it back the picture was a picture she had photoshopped out of a group photo taken a month before when he was clean shaven.

In the past week, especially, I've had to daily prepare myself for the onslaught of comments from my Korean staff as soon as I get to work. Since last Wednesday I have had the flu. (I was so sick I had to hang up my party dress and drag out the NyQuil and Gatorade on new years eve!Bummer, I know.) So the comments have been free flowing. Comments such as, "What's wrong with your face Dan-e-yell?", "Are you sick? You look terrible?" or the classic "You look really tired."

So the question is...plain rudeness? or true concern? I'm still in need of more convincing for the later.