The weekend is almost here

I really don't understand the trash system here.  You must buy trash bags within your neighborhood and the trash bags are about the size of walmart bags.  I just do not understand how you are suppose to fit your trash in bags that are so small???  There is a food/compost bag the size of a jewelry bag.  It's a little different but I guess I will get use to it.  I have some plans for the weekend, which include going to the clubs in Hongdae and the big pool party in Itaewon.  Super excited.  The weekends though are waaaaay too short. Wish they were a little longer, but o well.  I still have yet to plan my summer vacation.  My summer vacation is the last week in July.  Not sure what I'm doing yet, but hopefully I will be able to go to China!  :)

Sunday Funday

Sunday I went to Lake Park which is a park with a huge lake by my apt.  I rode my bike around the lake which was 2.1 miles.  I saw some people walking on rocks and it happened to be a rock garden.  Everyone takes off there shoes and walks on different shaped rocks to relief stress.  It was interesting and a lot of fun.  I got bit up from mosquitoes.  They are really bad here.  I also went back to Itaewon and discovered that a hotel in downtown Itaewon has a pool party every weekend.  Illan and I will be going back there this weekend to jump in.  Can't wait!  Looked like spring break in the middle of the city.  Monday I met up with my Korean friends that I met at BSU.  We just had to eat at Uno's (Chicago style pizza)!  Yummy!  It was really fun to see them all once again.  We already have plans to meet up this weekend and hang out.  My weekends are definitely going to be packed, because my days are so long with no time to ever do anything besides come home and cook dinner, then bed.  It's already Tuesday.  The days fly here when your at work all the time.

Culture Shock

Today I went to downtown Seoul to do a little sight seeing.  I went to Itaewon which is the international area within Seoul.  That is where I got the pictures from.  My two favorite countries!  :)  They had every fast food place from back home, including Cold Stone Creamy...haha.  It was a little crazy.  Many westerners were there as well.  Felt a little bit like New York City you could say.  As I was riding the subway back home a woman motions me to give her my purse and slowly starts to grab for it.  She was sitting down and I was standing, so I gave it to her not knowing what would happen.  I had seen another woman before me do the same thing.  So I felt semi ok about it.  She ends up just holding it for me so that I didn't have to, since she was sitting.  The woman standing next to me had to get off and grabs her purse from the lady, bows, and off she goes.  It was very interesting.  I then found a seat and she gave me my purse back, and I bowed.  Bowing has become a natural thing for me now.  It was very interesting, but a little weird all at the same time. 

Now that I am back in my apt. I can definitely tell that the air is not the cleanest.  I feel like I was smoking all day.  I have a raspy throat and I smell like smog, if you could say.  It's so humid too, that you could probably drink the water.  haha.  The air here sucks, thats for sure.  It's more or less about when will I get sick!   

Bars in Korea

Last night I went out to the bars here in Ilsan City for the first time.  I also had dinner which was nice.  Dinner was interesting but really fun.  We all cooked on top of a grill at our table and cooked our own meet.  We all just share what is on the grill and eat off of it.  Gosh did I have a time using chop sticks.  The wood chop sticks are easier than the metal ones, thats for sure.  The food was quite good.  Lots of meat!  If your vegetarian, good luck in Korea, so I have heard.  To go to the bathroom in restaurants and bars you must ask for the toilet paper. Then go to a bathroom that is usually outside in a hallway where all the other patrons of bars and restaurants go as well.  It's odd, but I got use to it through out the night.  At least your always guaranteed toilet paper!  Luckily the walk from my place to the bars is only about 15 minutes.  But overall it was a fun night, and I'm just going to have to stop thinking everything is so different and just go with the flow, otherwise it's going to be one difficult year!