What has transpired so far...

Ryan's story continued...

First of all, I am alive. I made it to South Korea without any trouble. The flights were long but smooth. So here's what I've got...

Day 1
1. packed frantically and ended up leaving a bag of crap at the burns' place.
2. pulled a back muscle moving my motorcycle (it is feeling better now).
3. sat beside a chinese guy named Lee who explained to me the book he was reading "the millionaire next door".
4. had a two hour layover in Tokyo. Sorted through the pictures on my laptop.
5. sat by a korean/irish girl named Adinah (hey Pat, do you have a sister I don't know about?)
6. a van driver named Huang met me at the Seoul airport... he was holding a sign with my name on it (he threw it away at the airport... so my name is now in the Korean trash system somewhere). Huang didn't speak much english but I learned he had three kids and he'd been driving for about 4 years.
7. passed a car that was completely on fire. i could feel the heat from it as we went by. Huang had never seen anything like it before and seemed very concerned.
8. met Steve the director of the hogwan (private school) that I'm working at.
9. he put me in a hotel and gave me a great peptalk. part of which included a warning to avoid two types of women... 1. the girl that pretends to like you just so she can practice her english. 2. the bored married woman who thinks it is safe to fool around with an american.
10. steve told me I'd be in the hotel for about a week until the teacher I am replacing finishes his contrat... then there will be some shuffling of apartments.

Day 2
1. met up with John, a guy from Alabama.
2. went to John's apartment and met Tim, the guy I am replacing.
3. John and Tim took me on a bus ride to see Seoul.

Things I saw while in Seoul...
1. two old men arguing over an open subway seat... "you take it." "no, you take it." "no, you take it." (They were speaking Korean, but I could tell that's how it was going.)
2. lots and lots and lots of shops. You can buy just about anything.
3. John and Tim took me out to eat at... dun dun dun... Outback Steakhouse.
4. i decided not to take any pictures... just wanted to soak it all in. I'll get some later.
5. John helped me figure out the bus and subway system.
6. coats with fur hoods are the style with the guys. mini skirts are in with the girls.
7. i will need to learn to read Korean if I plan to get around.
8. drivers are crazy. getting a motorcycle here would be suicide.
9. a nun on the subway who seemed to be deeply at peace.
10. there is no such thing as personal space. you just sort of push through people.
11. there are singing rooms, "dvd rooms", "massage places", and shops on the street that sell dvds.
12. the city reminded me of Portland and London, but more crowded, and I can't read anything or understand anything being said.
13. a beggar on his knees with his face on the ground and his hands stretched out in front of him.
14. tons of glowing red crosses. John said they are either churches or hospitals.

John and Tim helped me find my room, I was very tired.