Peeing Boy at a shrine in Fukuoka, Japan
Travels
Peeing Boy at a shrine in Fukuoka, Japan
August 23, 2003
Sorry I haven't written sooner, but Jessica and I were at her faculty retreat in Kyeongju then we took a two day trip to Fukuoka, Japan. I can't believe how geographically close the two countries are but how far apart they are economically. I could live forever in Japan. Korea, maybe a couple of years. It was nice being in a place where people don't stop on the street and stare at you because they've never seen a foreigner. Yes, Japan's expensive, but if you want to live in the first world you have to pay. If not, go to Korea.
Jessica in a sushi bar.
Step 1: Mix soy sauce in Natto beans. Mix violently.
Step 2: Apply on top of rice and think of sunning in the Bahamas. Open mouth. Insert. Eat.
My flight leaves tomorrow morning for the States, so I must
finish this log. I will get the rest of the Japan pictures on the flight home and up once I'm over my jet lag. I arrive
August 24th around 9:00 PM. See you!
Made it to Los Angeles. I'm writing this from the Delta First Class Lounge (I'm not
rich, but this is what you get when you stick with one airline for ten years) trying
to fight off jet lag and sitting across from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I can't think of her
name and I'm fighting the urge to be a loser and go up to her and ask for an autograph so I'll sit here and
write you. She's even skinnier in real life than she looks on tv. If Jessica hadn't taken
my digital camera I might even ask her for a picture (with moi in it, of course). Must fight
the urge... Thank goodness they have showers here. I ALMOST feel awake. My body
clock is telling me it's 4:09 AM. On with the stories...
Jessica and I drove to the Pohang Airport at 7:30 this morning. We said our goodbyes, and I was
one my way to Seoul. I tried to convince her to come back with me, but since she's contracted until
next Spring, she said "No". Once in Seoul I had two choices; go hang out in the first class lounge; or try to
beat the clock and have lunch with John, my Australian buddy. I opted for choice #2, on to an express bus
to Seoul Station (about 40 minutes away), it was raining cats and dogs but we managed to get
a sub at a place close to his university. John is still down on Korea, I tried to be encouraging but unfortunately
I agree with many of his assessments about the state of the nation. I hope he gets out of this funk, last year he
was much more positive but Korea is really wearing him down.
Back to the airport but the driver was taking a Sunday
stroll and it took an hour. My flight boarded at 2:30 but I didn't arrive at the airport until 2:40. On
top of that there was a tour group of Korean senior citizens in front of me through immigration, you can
imagine what that was like. Most went through the metal detectors with their bags. Then the security guard
had to walk them back through and remove their bags. It gets worse. The security guard would say "Do you have a cell phone?"
Another 20 seconds for grandpa to remember he had a cellphone in his back pocket. "Do you have any change?" and on and on... Made it just
as they were closing the gate.
There are so many things I've forgotten to talk about the past three months; gnat attacks in Jessica's apartment; Russian "Escort" bars; hairless monkeys;
cheap Canadians; villagers shelling peas in 5 star hotels...I won't bore
you and just focus on a few items from the past couple of days. In Fukuoka I convinced Jessica to come to one of
the video game BUILDINGS and try out some of the stuff. She wasn't too impressed with the idea, on top of that
I had gone into a pet store and played with two of the cutest ferrets I've seen, one normal color and the other
an albino. Jessica was not happy with the ferret smell I carried around the rest of the day,
but I had her hooked on this music game:
August 24th, 12:07 PM, LAX
Jessica shaking her maracas in Japan.
I bought her the coolest shoes in the world (according to her). They are a hybrid sneaker/heel shoe. She claims they don't exist in Korea or the US. I claim they are just for people who can't make up their minds.
Japanese are great at saving space. Check out how they park their cars in Fukuoka. Question: How in the world does the guy with the car on top leave before the guy with the car on the bottom?
I've spent an hour working on this and on my personal/professional goals for this Fall:
Professional
" Continue Russian studies somehow.
" International education article from dissertation material.
" Course prep for Uzbekistan.
" Solidify ISEPS in Cedarville. 10 more students for the summer.
" Prep for Japan/S. Korea. Select team. Begin group meetings.
" Send Junmo course proposals for Handong Global University next summer. Intensive Spanish? Resume writing? Sookmyung again?
" Only check email at work three times a day. (This one is important).
Personal
" Weekly email Bible study with Jessica.
" Weight lift four times a week/Cycle/aerobic 4 times a week.
" Write emails to Gary/Juan/John M. once every two weeks.
" Call John Sczgiel once every two weeks.
" Paint bedrooms.
" Clean out guttering once a month.
Send me an email if you think of something I should add.
My flight leaves in a bit so I'm going to spend some time watching Princess Mononoke for the tenth time and read USA Today.