Seoul vs. Daegu - Pro Basketball in Seoul

Park near exit 7, Sadang station. I told Min I snapped pictures of the pigeons as I waited for him, and he said they are dirty garbage-eaters, and Koreans much prefer squirrels. Fall is my favorite season and the crisp air is making me happy. Summer in Korea was so humid that I sometimes didn't want to move.

The Sunday game between Seoul (white) and Daegu (red) was the first pro basketball game I've been to. We cheered on Daegu: Min's home town. The teams were neck and neck in the last quarter. We lost.

The players were a rainbow of Nationalities. I couldn't get over the height of some of the guys. But the cheerleaders were all Korean. I was impressed by their costume changes; everytime they did a dance routine they were dressed in something new.

There was no staple stadium food like hot dogs. People snaked on instant soup, fish skin and bags of potato chips. Tickets were the equivalent of $8USD. 

Suwon Station: Market

Tonight I went to a DVD bang near Ajou and watched Before Sunset, but first took a bus to Suwon Station to walk around the traditional market. I also found myself in the red light district but, after getting couple of cat calls, left. One Korean man yelled, "fantastic," at me, nudging his friend as they smoked outside. I didn't see any prostitutes but I did see "love" hotels and motels with buzzing neon signs, pictures of Russian girls, and sketchy movie houses.

In the traditional market, this woman (below) saw me taking photos of three Korean girls. She asked where I was from, and invited me to her Vietnamese restaurant for a cup of coffee. She spoke fluent Korean but only a few English words. She wanted to see her son talk English, but he was totally uninterested. He rolled around the floor, and picked stones off the soles of his shoes - did everything but say, "hi" in English. It was his day off school.

Where I'm going in Hong Kong

My friend Justin teaches kindgergarden kids M-F, so I'll be sure to drop by and play duck duck goose, once in a while! View outside his apartment:

Justin and one of his sisters. His other sister lives on the floor above him.

Angry Buddhist Airs my Dirty Laundry

Today I got my ear chewed off by my landlady: the angriest Buddhist, with red lipstick, I have ever met.

She sometimes comes by unannounced, sits cross-legged on my floor, and rambles passionately in Korean, almost none of which I understood. I nod and put on a sweater to cover up, wondering why she is in my apartment talking loudly and happily to someone who doesn't understand her.

Today she wasn't friendly. She grabbed my arm and showed me a list of building rules scribbled in Hangul. She had torn open my bag of garbage, along with my neighbor's. It was strewn all over the street. I must find out what I have done wrong.

Payphone with my Mother

"Mom, I have a secret. I'm doing something a little... shocking before I leave Korea."

"What?"

"I don't want to say."

"Eva you have to tell me or I won't get to sleep tonight! Is it a good thing?"

"Not exactly."

"Is it a bad thing?"

"I don't think so. Listen Mom you might not even care."

"Probably not, so just tell me."

"I don't want people knowing yet."

"You won the lottery. You're not going back to University. You're pregnant. You're staying to work in Korea. You're in love, you're bringing somebody home?"

"(laugh) no."

"You're adopting a child."

"Are you serious Mom!?"

"You're gay. You're going to be on TV!"

"God. No Mom!"

****

PS - Visit the 2 new blogs on my bloglist! http://janinemaclean.blogspot.com/ and http://global-encounters.blogspot.com/. Aren't you curious?

PS- This picture makes my mouth water. Honey candy is, in my opinion, the most delicious Korean treat. It's 5 dollars for a small box, and usually made fresh from vendors at a booth. I like the peanut version best, made with honey and flour spun into thin threads.

7 days left in my apartment...

Time, where does she go?

Catholic Wedding, Seoul

Before Tae Hun met me on Sunday, he attended a Catholic wedding near City Hall, Seoul, and took some gorgeous pictures! I had to share them with you. Korean weddings are more Westernized than I had imagined.

Sorry to drop the pristine cake but Tae Hun is always like, "darn another one." Koreans give money as a wedding gift, and the bride and groom forever remember the exact dollar amount from each guest. In most cases, close friends and family members will shell out $500 USD or more.

Pampas Grass Festival, Seoul

Moi, using the tripod Tae Hun bought me

World Cup Stadium