"We may or may not get back tonight."

Those were the sweetened words from Laurie's mouth about the cold hard truth.

All I could do was freeze for a second, then proceeded to laugh it off, and order some sweet potato cheese balls and water.

I walked to the counter and placed my order only to find my water in an actual glass cup with red hearts.

"Look at this! Has nobody ever ordered water here before?"

There was a stack of the normal cups, two of which were used for our cokes. They were sitting next to their water machine.

laughing, laughing, laughing, "I just don't understand why they gave me what is clearly an employee's glass."

laughing, laughing, laughing, "We are in Korea, Rachel."

Daegu, Korea to be exact. A few minutes after 3:00am.

"Our sandwiches and french fries were so good. And the nachos and burrito we had tonight."

"OMG that Tex Mex was so good! And don't forget the popcorn we had at the GoGo bar."

"That GoGo bar was so seedy."

"But we still had fun drinking our vodka mangoes. Remember those? Those were so good!"


"Almost as good as the shirts we bought from the same seedy bar! Good idea, Laurie. Now we'll always have something tangible to remind us of tonight."

"I should just say again that we may or may not get back tonight. That in itself might be enough to sear this night into our memories."

It's true. We had, in fact, stumbled across a seedy downstairs bar that was clearly the Daegu U.S. military hot spot. For 2 1/2 hours, we sat at the bar drinking our unlimited vodka mangoes while contemplating life, popcorn, guys, and everything in between. Three things happened at around 1:45am. Every single military guy immediately left to make it back before curfew, every single tiny Korean girl left because the military guys left, and Alex and Jodi left the hip hop club around the corner to come get us.

After purchasing our bright pink GoGo shirts, we hopped in a cab and sped off into the night. Since we were visiting A & J, there was no need to pay attention to the details of navigation. After all, its their city, and we were on vacation.

We arrived at their apartment, but Laurie and I discoverd, after taking a few goofy pictures of ourselves in the shirts, that we weren't sleepy. Not in the least bit.

We were hungry.

And you can't stop two margarita, sangria, and vodka mango filled girls from satisfying a hunger like ours.

Alex and Jodi were already asleep in the other room, so we decided to sneak out. As if A & J are our parents and we are going to meet Victor and Cody (or whoever you would hang out with in your younger sneaking out days).

After creeping down the stairs, ever so loudly, we start walking down the street to hail a cab. But as we walk arm in arm with our "GoGo vinyl" shirts on, we realize A) there's no restaurants anywhere nearby and B) we have no clue where we are.

"Oh! Here's a road sign for a girl's primary school. I'll text it to you, and it'll be saved in my phone. Then when we need to get back, we can just say this school. Easy leasy pemon squeezy."

"Good idea Rach! I think we should walk back the other way though to get a cab in that big intersection on the bridge."

A few minutes later, a cab was pulling over for us. We hopped in, giggly and upbeat as ever.

"Uhhhh, Lotteria?"

"or McDonald's?"

Cab driver: "Lotteria? Ok"....laughing

Cab driver: laughing..."Hungry?"

"Yes, yes! Hungry."

As Laurie and I discuss our insatiable need for french fries, the cab driver is zipping through the light 2am traffic. We arrive at the Lotteria, and he drives off.

Its at this moment I say "Man, I wish he would just wait on us to take us back. That way we won't have to worry about directions."

"We'll be fine. We've got that primary school's name."

We mosey on in, order our generic McDonald's wannabe meals, and proceed to inhale the most delicious food of all time.

It's amazing how time has such an important affect on how food tastes.

Well, that and vodka. and tequelia. and sangria.

After reluctantly leaving the heart covered glass in the restaurant, we leave. Somehow we remember to cross the street to get a cab going back the way we came. We hop in as I'm pulling out my phone.

I read off the romanization of the hangul* for the school.

"Hyeomyeong girls primary school"
Cab driver: "???"
"Uh, Hyaemyeong primary school?"
"Hyomong hakyo?"
Cab driver: "???"

He just starts driving. Its at this moment we realize we seriously may or may not get back tonight.

As we are driving, though, Laurie spots something familiar.

"Oh! There's that big Homeplus! We definitely passed it on the way."

But after a few more blocks, the cab driver stops, asking us which way. He can turn left or go straight.

The vodka quickly retreats from our brains, leaving us with the cold empty shock that comes from being lost at 3am in a city that is not ours.

"rencho?"

After hesitantly telling him to turn left, he confidently flies down the street, leaving us with nothing familiar in sight.

"Hey we're in a school zone. Maybe its Alex or Jodi's school!"

"Yeah maybe. Or maybe its not their school at all. Maybe we aren't even in Daegu anymore. Maybe we accidently told him to turn north and we are headed for Kim Jong-il's house right now."

"Like I said, we may or may not get back tonight."

Then a miracle happened.

"THE BIKE STORE! I've seen that before! RENCHO, RENCHO!!"

"THE DOG STORE!!! We made it! Yogi, yogi!!!"

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we miraculously steered him in the exact location we needed.

There's a lesson in all of this.

Never drink alone. Do it with a friend. It makes for a much more fun night.



*Hangul is the Korean alphabet. A lot of times, when they use the roman alphabet to translate, the sounds don't exactly match up. For example: my town is spelled Seongnam, but its pronounced Songnom. In other words, its pointless.

Also, after proofreading this, I realized that reading THE DOG STORE in Korea might elicit a disturbing image in your mind. This is a pet store, like to get dogs as pets, not snacks.

Bodily Fluids, Blurred Vision, & B.O.

Warning #1: I have been under the effect of cold/sinus medicine and an abnormal amount of hot showers for the past few days. My writing may have been effected. Yes, effected.

Warning #2: If the title didn't give it away already, this is me holding nothing back. If you're a smart cute single guy who isn't crazy, please stop reading this.

As some of you may know, I've been sick this past week. In the states, when you catch a cold, it was no big deal. You take some nyquil, drink lots of fluids, sleep all weekend, and you're back on your feet in no time.

That's not Korea's style.

This cold/sinus infection/Korean death plague* was horrendous.
If I were to blow my nose using Orlando Bloom instead of a tissue, this is what you would see:

Sorry Orlando!

So much for a fun-filled Christmas day. After opening my presents and skyping with the family, I spent the rest of the day sleeping, taking steamy hot showers, watching movies, and cursing at the pharmacy downstairs for being closed.

20 minutes after arriving at school on Monday morning, it was decided that I was going to the doctor after lunch, and it was suggested (ordered) that I sleep in the heated bed in the teacher's lounge until that time came.

Normally in Korea, when you are sick, you don't go to a doctor's office. You just go to the hospital. The hospital isn't just for emergencies and surgery. However, the spirits of the universe were on my side that day, and we got to visit the nose and throat clinic that just happened to be in Yatap. Not that it really mattered.

You'll read why.

After a 2 minute wait (no appointment was made), I walked into the room. There were all kinds of medical utensils on the little table next to my chair, and a TV screen in front of me. The doctor quickly shoved this little tube up my nostrils to take a picture. It didn't hurt at all, but then I realized the pictures were on the screen. I don't like seeing anything related to the inside of my body, or anybody else's body for that matter. It wigs me out. Then he made me open my mouth, and shot this blast of weird tasting air into my throat. Now, I'm not sure if he discusses the medical problems will all of his patients or if he just wanted to practice his English, but he began to tell me I had a sinus infection, and pointing to the insides of my nostrils on the screen.

As if I really needed to hear about the details of the grossness happening inside my body. Really, why can't doctors examine you, give you medicine, and not speak a word about why? If I ever get cancer or get a kidney stone or break a bone, I don't want to know about it. Just fix it, and tell me when its over.

Anyways, as we were walking back toward the waiting area, I got that familiar feeling. The same feeling I got the first time I went to a chiropractor. The feeling I get before, during, and after getting blood taken. The feeling I get after getting any kind of shot. But I'm in Korea, with a co worker, and I have to be a big girl about this. So what do I do?

"Sungsook, where's the bathroom?"

Unfortunately, it was all the way down a long hall. I quickly walked out, but the closer I got to the end of the hall way, the more these black spots got in my way. I kept ignoring them thinking they would give up and bother somebody else, but they weren't having it. They may as well have been Ryan Reynolds with his shirt off. I just couldn't help but notice them. I never did find the bathroom, but there was a couch at the end. How I got there, I'll never know.

After a few minutes of laying down to let my dignity run for the door, I started to feel better, so I walked over to the pharmacy where Sungsook, aka my Korean savior, had just gotten my medicine. We walked back to her car, when I realized I didn't pay for anything.

"Sungsook! How much do I owe you for the medicine?"
"Oh, its 4,400 won."
"Oh yeah, and the doctor's visit. How much was that?"
"3,000."

Yes, folks, a doctor's visit, antibiotics, and cold medicine for a whopping $7.40.
I tell ya, that damn national health insurance...its...well, mmm...its great!

The large silver packets in the corner are the antibiotics. Take one pill twice a day...pretty standard.
Those other goody bags? Indulge in one of those after every meal. That comes out to 14 pills a day!


Yes, this is a Hello Kitty humidifier. It was the cheapest one they had, and its supposed to help in this dry winter air. I know, I know. I'm officially a dweeb.

On a completely different note, I've been using Secret Clinical Strength deodorant for a long time now. It has always worked like a charm. For some reason, though, lately it has most certainly NOT been working like a charm. I've been giving that area extra attention in the shower, switching between the two types I have...nothing was working. So today, I decided to just go without and see what happened. After all, Koreans never wear deodorant, and they never stink.

Wouldn't ya know, I came home, did the sniff test and...nada!

So that just goes to show, kimchi has more benefits than vitamins and fiber.


*Source: Keara, Facebook comment, profile of Rachel Howell, December 24th at 7:16pm

Good Intentions

Last weekend, Alex, Jodi, and Laurie came to stay with me on Friday night for an early "Thanksgiving". Alex and Jodi brought pumpkin pie, and Laurie and I were in charge of getting chicken, garlic bread, and making the potatoes.

Laurie got here around 7, and we went straight to Kim's Club to buy everything. After searching (with no success) for chicken, we kept wandering down the aisles. At the check out, we realized what we had bought.

I know, I know, its not Thanksgivingey. But it all looked so good. I hadn't drank red wine or eaten real bread, olive oil, and brie in MONTHS.

As we're eating the delicious food and drinking the fabulous California wine, we just keep chatting and laughing. Alex and Jodi are almost to Seongnam.

The bread? gone!
The brie? what brie?
The wine? barely any left.

We go downstairs to meet them (and to see the pumpkin pie), and reluctantly break the news to them.

Me-"We couldn't find any already cooked chicken."
Alex-"What? So buy raw chicken. Put it in a pan, turn the heat on...cooked chicken!"
Jodi-"How did the potatoes turn out?"
Laurie-"They will taste good. I just have to make them."
Jodi-"No potatoes either?! Weren't we coming here for a Thanksgiving meal?"
...you can guess how the rest of the conversation went.

However, after a couple glasses of wine and many apologies, they forgave us. Laurie made mashed potatoes, and the fried chicken place directly below my apartment increased their revenue. But most importantly, the pumpkin pie was opened!


As if we aren't goofy enough, we took some self portraits.



Serious self portraits. Laurie, really? All that's missing is a gold gaudy frame!

And then we put my loft to good use.


Happy Thanksgiving week everybody!

Friends, Makgeolli, & Johnny Depp

Last weekend was Halloween. Back home, I never really celebrated it. But, having said that, I must say I had tons of Halloween themed fun in Daegu!


But the fun didn't start in Daegu. Oh, no. It began in good ole Seongnam-si. I left school at 5pm, and rushed to get everything I needed for the 6pm bus ride.

Clothes? Check.
Book for the bus? Check.
Kimbap, oranges, and other goodies for dinner? Check.
Makgeolli? Definitely check.
Shoes? Check.
Money? Check.
Laurie?

Laurie?

Mmmmm...it was 5:55 (our bus was leaving at 6), and Laurie was nowhere close. This was not her fault by the way. She left straight from her school for Seongnam, but sometimes the buses turn on their "piss off foreigners" sensors. This was one of those days. The bus came late, and there was tons of Friday afternoon traffic. It was obvious we weren't going to make it on time. But all was ok!
Because we had Makgeolli.

In case you are wondering, or didn't read my Morning Calm post, Makgeolli is Korean rice wine, and it is the most delicious thing on earth (besides chocolate, OBVIOUSLY).

So we went to the bus terminal, and saw a 6:40 bus. However, after refunding (we think anyways) and purchasing new tickets, we realized we were leaving at 7:40. Apparently Seongnamers can't get enough of Daegu on the weekends, and everything was sold out. So, we sat down to enjoy our dinner and Makgeolli and started talking about our week.

See, Laurie and I don't see each other or talk a lot during the week since we live in different cities. So the weekends are filled with catching-up girl talk, which is one of the best things about my weekends! Anyways, we quickly finish the bottle and realize we need more. A lot more. We then make the genius decision to drink during the whole bus ride so we can show Alex and Jodi what we are all about this weekend.

Now its 7:20, and Laurie leaves to find Makgeolli. A homeplus is on the 3rd floor (like a Wal Mart) so she sprints through the store, miraculously finding the Makgeolli, and buys 3 big bottles. By the time she comes back, its almost 7:40! Yes, we almost missed the bus for the 2nd time.

We sit down in the last row, get settled, and crack open the next bottle.

Then my stupid quotes started to tumble out of my mouth.

Me, motioning my hands in the same direction as the bus is moving: "Wait, are we going this way?"
In my defense, we were going west and we were supposed to be going southeast. Still, it was pretty funny. Or maybe it wasn't and we just thought it was. Anyways...

About 10 minutes in, I got the hiccups! I hate hiccups. They suck. We each had our cups filled with Makgeolli, so I was trying to slowly drink it in hopes it would relax me.
Laurie: Is your cup empty?
Me: No, why?
Laurie: Oh, I was going to scare you if it was.
Me: Oh, ok.

A few minutes pass...I finish my cup and my hiccups are gone...
Me: Ok, my cup is empty now. Scare me.
Laurie just looks at me before cracking up. I don't speak for the next 30 minutes due to shame.

After a much needed bathroom break 2 hours in, we spot some rides. Photo op!


Laurie just hopped on top like a normal person.


I got all the way in, like it was actually about to fly off into the night.

As we were getting close to Daegu, we started passing tire shops. For some reason, Korea wraps their tires in with bright gold and silver aluminum foil looking stuff.

Laurie: Oh, I see those everywhere in Suwon. What's up with those?
Me: You've seen those in Suwon? I haven't seen them on any of the cars in Seongnam.
Laurie gives me the same stare after the scare me comment before dying laughing.

We somehow got there early, so we walked across the street to the Lotteria (which is a generic McDonald's...you can just imagine how delicious that is). We had drank the 3 bottles on the bus, plus the one in the terminal, so what did we need? Another bottle to go with our fancy Lotteria meal, duh. I pop over to the FamilyMart while Laurie orders an order of cheese sticks and sweet potato balls.

This is what comes to our table.


We're on our 5th bottle of Makgeolli, and we just got two whole cheese sticks for an order. This apparently is the funniest thing on earth, because we can't stop laughing. I still have no idea why Alex and Jodi picked us up and actually brought us back to their apartments. They are just that good of friends.

The following day after we woke up, we went downtown for lunch and shopping.

Downtown during the day...it gets busy at night.


The first arrow says: krispy kreme doughnut, bacon, zisomething, cheese


This hoodie says "Do you have any girlfriends?" and "The girl dances very well these days because of the ballet lessons."


I have no idea what to write here.

Saturday night, we went to a murder mystery play that Alex was in.

Regardless of what they said, I still think Alex did it.



Afterwards, we took Daegu by storm. Lots of fun bars and dance clubs. One bar even had...

...so you know this was a good place!

There were also some cute Halloween costumes...




Who knew a Korean could look so much like Johnny Depp?

In conclusion: We had a blast! Thanks to Alex and Jodi for the great weekend. :)

ps-We did manage to find a bar that had a "traditional" Korean dance performance. I'll show the video soon. It deserves its own post!