Coming Back From Here: Reverse Culture Shock

If you never leave home you can never truly view your own culture clearly. Like a toilet, you can be comfortable while your buns relax upon your own familiar seat but, you probably don't know exactly what it feels like in comparison to  the numerous other toilets out there (even those gritty college bachelor pad ones that make you happy you took a few minutes to clean yours). I recently returned home for the holidays and although it t'was a short trip, there were some things that definitely stood out to me as odd. Now, let it be known these aren't meant to be degrading but rather a way to share how my own views on home have changed. Of course everyone will have a different experience; Alas here are a few of the most memorable things that caused me to take a step back and philosophize, jump back in wide wonder or satisfy some deeply rooted part of my own human experience. Regardless of where you go or how long you're gone for home will never be exactly as you remember it. 

Everything is Bigger in 'Merika!

Even the Wildlife is bigger

The buildings, the cars, the ideas, the portion sizes, and the people are bigger than most places I've had the good fortune of traveling to. OK, lets not kid ourselves almost everything is bigger in America. The first time I returned to my homeland after an extended stay abroad I was surprised to see just how big Americans are. Now, I don't mean just tall, or just fat, or just big boned. It's a combination of all the above. Most folks in Korea and Japan are slim. You'll happen across a few large people but they are a rarity. Now with that said, the tallest man I've ever seen in my life actually worked for a hotel in Daegu, South Korea (he must have been over 7' )   Though he was still very thin. For me it was a shock to go from a slightly above average height and thin build to a short and skinny build in less than 14 hours of each state of being.

 Next up was the portion sizes. At my first meal out I was astounded at just how much food I was given. Looking down into the sea of french fries and the massive slab of meat someone said was a hamburger I pondered if this was meant to be shared with everyone at the table. I can't say I can complain about the size of alcoholic drinks though...

Big pick ups and big statements

Lastly the BIG open spaces always amaze me. Even though the USA has a large number of people the sheer size of space not used is probably the best BIG aspects of America. One Bald Eagle salute.

So much room for activities!!

 Beer for You, Beer for Me, Beer Everywhere!
                                (Except in Public)

In my time abroad there has been one consumer item I have missed the most, beer. Now don't get me wrong, beer is a universal drink. I wouldn't be surprised to find out when some intergalactic race finally decides to meet us face to face that it will be over a beer. Beer is indeed everywhere, but for me it is the quality of beer that makes it enjoyable. During my time in Korea I was subjected to the piss colored water they called beer. Hite and Cass were staples of the drinking life. It was cheap, the quantity was fair, it still played the devilish tricks all alcohol plays on the mind but, the quality lacked a certain something... mainly flavor and depth. Basically it reminded me of summer nights as a college student, with only a few bucks to spend, drinking PBR or Coors Lite, playing beer pong. It's fine for the time but there are better options out there. (Sorry dad! Your Budlight Lime falls into the lackluster beer category).

Delicious

Now of course foreign beers are available Hoegarden, Budweiser and Heineken are some of the more popular brands; you're going to have to pay a bit more for them though and they are rarely on tap.  Japan offers a better selection of beer from more established breweries such as Sapporo and Kirin. They also have a variety of light and dark beers. I'd rank them above Korean brews but they still lack a certain something. Here in Okinawa Orion (Oh-re-on) is popular, cheap and holds beer festivals every now and then; This is usually my go-to beer on nights out.

Not Half Bad

Now America... You're doing beer right! Not only do you have the cheaper options but also craft brews of all flavors, sizes and strength. Going back to America was like going to Beer Disney Land, you just have to try every one you can. You know you can't just linger at "it's a small world" all day with so many choices (well you could but that doesn't seem like an adventurous option). Good job 'Merika! This was one aspect of reverse culture shock that I'm more than happy to relive time and time again. The only downside I can see is not being able to drink in public. Call me an alcoholic if you want but there is nothing quite like the feeling of buying an alcoholic beverage, paying for it, walking into the fresh crisp outside air, popping open the can/bottle and drinking while you walk from from here to there. 

The Magic Touch of Paper Towels

As the old saying goes, "You never really know what you got until it's gone," this is true of paper towels in public restrooms. Since being in Asia land I can't name one time when I've regularly spotted paper towels in any public bathroom. I'm all for saving the tree's and protecting the environment from waste but it would be nice to not have to do the magic hand dance to dry my hands every time.  Besides automatic hand dryers don't always get the job done. Good looking out former colonies of Britain!

The Sports Bar Cathedrals

I hope our future descendants one day dig up a fully intact sports bar (maybe in the ashes of the Yellowstone Super Volcano... Pompeii style). They will gaze in wide wonder and postulate as to why one place needed so many video screens. They will wonder why so many chickens were sacrificed to the American football gods and of course they will taste the millennia-old beer and spirits left behind. I used to think nothing of these places. I'd simply come, order my food and drink, watch 8 different sporting events on 8 different screens and then would be on my way. Now, I need to be on speed just to keep up with the events on each TV. I have to seriously question my priorities, Should I watch tennis, UFC, Football, "Soccer," or simply watch Sports Center to get the best of all of them? Maybe it has to be the sports cult--ure in America but I simply don't understand the these places anymore. Sorry motherland this one isn't totally positive experience but good lord the food and beer are great!

Shoes Inside the House

Oh I can wear shoes inside the house? Sweet! Don't worry I've only stepped in an incomprehensible number of disgusting things on my way here... Now I can pick up some more from your floor! YES!

PDA

Unabashed public displays of affection. This was one of the things I think is kind of cool... until you see two people dry humping against a slot machine at 1AM.


Guns

Sometimes you just want to shoot some shit. Nuff said.

Police

gun... check, taser... check... face mashing club of doom... check... burger check...

American Police are intimidating. Not only do they have a gun, a taser and a gadget belt to rival Batman's, but even their cars are crime stopping beasts! Here in Japan police carry guns... but they are small .38 caliber revolvers (with the exception of special duty police officers). In Okinawa many of the police drive in K-cars (think of a car about the size of a Mini-Cooper) and there is no shatter-proof glass guarding the police from anyone in the back. As a matter of fact if you get pulled over they let you sit in the back of their car to fill out the paper work and may even have a nice chat with you (this is not sarcasm). 

Tokyo Police rocking helmets

Meanwhile in America Police walk up to your car with their hands near their semi-automatic/automatic handguns of doom. It's a given that America can be a much more violent and dangerous place for police officers, making these things necessary. With that said though it's hard to describe the unease you'll feel when this is not part of your regular life anymore.

Even a mob of Korean riot police aren't that intimidating

How about you? Have you ever experienced reverse culture shock? If you have feel free to chime in, drop your 2-10 cents into the opinion pond, or if you don't ...postulate about something you think would cause reverse culture shock!

Don't hide in the shadows like this guy! Let me know what you think!

Soju and Kimchi: The Devilish Treasures of Korea

Perhaps you may have seen the title of my last blog entry and wondered what in the hell soju and Kimchi are. It's my hope your interest was peaked and if you didn't think it was worth the time to Google fear not I'm here to tell you.

 We will begin with kimchi (김치) which seems to be the more known of the two.

      ^one variety of kimchi^

Kimchi is essentially pickled cabbage covered in pepper sauce to make it kick-in-the-mouth spicy. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi, some using vegetables other than cabbage. It's eaten in countries all over the globe but its main consumers are found in Asia specifically Korea, Japan and China. Traditional kimchi is allowed to ferment underground in jars for months at a time until it reaches the "just right" standard. It is typically eaten with every meal and can be made into a variety of dishes including: soup, stew, fried rice and even pancakes! (the pancakes are called Kimchi jjigae for anyone interested). Kimchi is also relatively popular here in Japan and can be found in any grocery store; although it goes by the slightly different name of kimuchi(キムチ). In recent years though much of the kimchi found abroad is made and processed in manufacturing plants in China (ah the joys of cheaper labor even come into play with kimchi).

Before moving to Korea I had never even heard of this spicy dish sent from the heavens above. Nearly a year later I can't imagine living the rest of my life without it. Some folks, especially those sensitive to spicy foods, find it to be of a disagreeable taste. But, for those of us who enjoy the feeling of our mouths burning in spicy deliciousness kimchi is a cheap staple of life.

Next up is soju (소주).

    ^just a typical amount for a roof party^

Now, soju literally means "burned liquor." Which I believe to be a rather good description of it. It tastes a bit like vodka but a tinge off due to extra sugar and/or other ingredients added in its production. It also lacks the "burn" vodka leaves in the mouth and throat, making it a dangerous affair on the nights you tango with soju. It can be taken as a shot, blended with juice or mixed with beer to create mekchu(sp?). It has an alcohol content of 16-45% and is dirt cheap to purchase. It costs about $1-4USD and comes in a variety of sizes, brands and flavors.

       ^the green bottles are soju^

My first dance with soju began a few days after I had arrived in Gimhae. I was invited out to dinner with a few foreigners and of course soju made its way to the table. I had my first shot and was surprised that it lacked the "burn" I had thought it would have. Needless to say I had a few more throughout the dinner thinking it to be a weak alcohol. Then I stood up. My mind felt fine but my body was feeling it. I had to fight to stay steady around my new companions and eventually made it to my hotel slightly wobbling the entire way. After that day consuming soju was a rather usual affair for the better part of my stay in Korea.

Soju is a staple of adult Korean life. If you walk down the street and peer into the windows of restaurants or take a gander at the outdoor tables you will indubitably see the trademark green bottles littered across nearly every table. Young adults and those of a more ancient time have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy the sweet nectar of soju. 

But it's not only Koreans who enjoy soju. Worldwide two soju brands, Jinro and Lotte Liquor, sold nearly 90 million cases of Soju in 2011 (according to CNN these companies ranked first and third in worldwide hard liquor sales). Many of these cases did indeed stay within Korea but I would be hard pressed to believe if you have not run across soju at one time or another. If anyone is interested in trying this beverage it can be found most readily at Costco and is becoming increasingly popular at liquor stores across America.

I couldn't leave this post without giving at least one lesson. If you ever find yourself drinking with one of the friendly Koreans you're going to need to know how to say "cheers." (insert cheesy drum roll here). GEONBAE!! (건배) 

^yes that is indeed an octopus wielding a soju machine gun^

South Korea: The Bottom 6

For every top there is a bottom. Here is my list of the things I didn't quite like about Korea. This isn't meant to say they are the worst things in the galaxy. Please keep in mind this is only from my experiences and times in Korea. Every person is bound to have a different opinion or experience based on the time and place they were/are located.

Number 6: The world is Your Parking lot.

We've all seen the joker who takes up two parking spaces for their luxury car, the person in a hurry at the grocery store who parks their car in the loading zone and the guy who parks with the tail end of their large vehicle poking out into the street. These are regular annoyances all drivers will come across at some point in time. To put it into a metaphor if bad parking in the USA is minor league baseball, Korea (and perhaps Asia) is the big leagues. Every day I was reminded that I was but a pilgrim in a strange land. Places meant for people to walk would be blocked by a car forcing pedestrians to casually walk into the street. This is normal life in Korea.

I  NEED MY STARBUCKS NOW!!

Now, I can understand if there is an emergency. You're having a baby or some other important medical emergency? Fuck it park where ever the hell you want! But if you just want coffee and can't be bothered to walk a block or park in the basement parking I have no sympathy for you. Also be wary of drunk drivers who after realizing they are entirely too drunk to drive a vehicle park their car in a somewhat inconspicuous places.

There is a man in this picture

One night after a few drinks a friend and I stumbled upon a man half in his car. He was pleading for help from Koreans passing by but to no avail. He eventually saw us gawking at him and decided to ask us to help (with what we have no idea). "Heeeeelp" he stammered. When we asked him what he needed help with he just continued to say help until he passed out (still half way in the car). We joked that it would be funny to tie one of us up, put us in the backseat or trunk and see how he reacted when he awoke. By the morning his car was gone but he left behind a rather funny story.

Number 5: The Zoo

One fat pussy cat

I don't know why I still go to these places. When you're a child the Zoo is a wonderful place to see creatures from far off lands. Things that you may only see on TV or in a book. Though when you become an adult they are basically animal prisons. Don't get me wrong some establishments are incredibly well run with the animals health (both mental and physical) being the utmost priority. Though I don't think Korea got this memo. 

Wolf in a cage

On a trip to Daegu I decided the zoo would be a good stop. I hadn't seen much wildlife in Korea and I was hankering to see something other than pigeons and stray cats. Soon after entering the zoo the old familiar feeling of "Why the F' did I come to one of these places again," crept over me. The picture above is of a wolf who was put into a tiny cage. It spent the entire time pacing back and forth, back and forth. On the floor laid a slab of meat that hadn't been touched. The wolf looked as though it had gotten cabin fever and written an entire novel using only the sentence, "All work and no play makes wolfie a dull boy." This was at the first exhibit I strolled through.

1.5 tusked elephant

After making the rounds I finally ended up at the elephant exhibit. It was a small enclosure with a barn like structure behind it surrounded by a ditch to keep the elephants in. I think one of the two elephants had literally lost it's mind. It kept doing the same action over and over and over again. It was a true shame to see such an amazing animal housed in such a despicable place. I hand't thought about this until recently when I visited Ueno zoo in Tokyo. The elephants there had much more room to roam and seemed happy and well cared for. 

Number 4: Foreigner Treatment


Korea was once aptly named the hermit kingdom. A lot has changed since that name was first given. People are becoming more aware of the world around them and often more accepting of the things it offers. Yet there is still a lingering wonder in the hearts and minds of many Korean folks about foreigners and foreign cultures. Now before I start this one let me drop a disclaimer. Nearly all of the folks I met in Korea were wonderful people. They'd help when they could, tried to practice their English and perhaps even buy you a dinner. But in every bunch there's always bound to be a few bad bananas. This section is about these folks and ideas.

blatant racism in my classes textbook? Or harmless cartoons depicting facts?

Someone once mentioned foreigner fever before I came to Korea. For along time it was rather rare to see western foreigners in Korea. Even to this day it can be rare to see someone away from the major cities or military bases that is western. This can lead to a lot of stares, as if you were some interesting being from outer space. It can be kind of cool sometimes but other times you just have to wonder what the hell they're staring at and thinking. Some of the more verbose characters out there will come up to you and practice English and tell you how handsome/beautiful you are and that you look like such and such celebrity. This can also be fun sometimes but if you hear the same thing enough times it looses its luster quick. One friend of mine was always stopped by large groups of young men and told how handsome he was. He said he loved the attention but was upset that it was all men who said it. Which leads me to my next point...

gay Alen in Wonderland comic

Apparently there are no homosexuals in Korea. It would be utterly unrealistic to think there are homosexuals there... unless they are part-time K-pop girl lesbians. That could be okay. Hopefully you've picked up on the sarcasm but if you haven't let it be known homosexuality isn't an accepted way of life in Korea. Rather than acknowledge that it is out there it's simply swept under a cultural taboo rug and forgotten about. Of course it does exist, and people prefer just not to acknowledge it. (once again this isn't everyone!)

Drunk and racist.

Xenophobia is the irrational or unreasonable fear of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange

This lovely lady above happened to be one of the most outwardly racist folk myself and others had the displeasure of happening upon. we were a group of about 30 foreigners meeting up to go on a boat ride together when this random lady shows up and starts saying, "Go home Yankees !" (which was incredibly humorous considering more than half of us were not from the USA  and none of us played baseball for New York) and throwing every curse word ,in Korean, she could think of at us. At first we tried not to acknowledge her but after awhile the temptation became too much. People began gently talking back to her, posing for pictures with her in the background and joking to lighten up the mood. Eventually, between sips of Makgoelli (막걸리), she finally cracked a smile and laughed with us too. 

For some children this is their first glimpse at other cultures.

The last thing I'm going to mention is be very careful of your employer (especially if you work in an English school). You can find horror stories written all over the internet depicting the hell some folks went through. As for myself I learned one very important thing. Contracts don't have the same status as they do in the west. In the end I lost a few thousand dollars to my former bosses who refused to pay me before and after I had left the country. After going through all the steps of filing a petition with the Korean Government and joining in on a lawsuit with my former Korean coworkers he filed for bankruptcy and no one got anything. In total he saved nearly 30 thousand dollars through unethical business practices. From listening to others in my same city this is still a widespread problem although the government has been taking steps to protect foreign workers. If you ever find yourself in a sub par situation don't make the same mistake I did. DO NOT HESITATE to utilize the services available to you. For more information you can check out http://www.moel.go.kr/english/main.jsp .

I included this section to give people wishing to travel to Korea a heads up on what they may expect. As I stated earlier the majority of people you meet will be amazing, kind-hearted people. As time continues its march into the future I think things will/are changing for the better. 

Number 3: The Streets Paved with Spit

 After seeing the streets and sidewalks in Korea you will no longer have to wonder why taking shoes off inside is so common. Walking, especially at night, is like stepping through a mine field. There's spit, leaflets thrown on the ground as advertising, occasional piles of fresh puke, random dung droppings of dogs whose owners are assholes, and if you're lucky a stream of urine crossing your path from an old man too lazy to find a bathroom nearby. The streets of Korea can be FILTHY!

On weekends in Busan the popular areas for night life will be littered with advertisements, spit, cigarette butts, puke and god knows what else. Though by mid morning it will all be cleaned up and ready for the next nights barrage.

 Trash from businesses is also left on the street for pickup by their sanitation services. Though some people are a bit antsy to get it out of their businesses and put it out a day or two early. Stray animals will also find a way to tear them open, eat what they can and spread out the rest until someone comes and stops them. 

Yellow dust, from China, also comes in once a year. This shit is disgusting. The air will be filled with it. It looks like a sandstorm/smog storm. It will linger for a bit then settle or move on. While I was there we had a rainstorm during the yellow dust season and the picture above shows what it left behind. This dust was everywhere. All the gutters were filled with it. Although it isn't something that can be avoided it is definitely something to be aware of. You shouldn't leave your windows open or a fine coat of this nasty stuff will coat everything. 

If all else fails just throw your junk in an alley!

Lastly it can be nearly impossible to find a trash can outside. So the random piles of trash waiting to be picked up can be a godsend if you've just finished your ice cream and don't want to carry the wrapper with you. Trash is often discarded on benches, sidewalks or anywhere else that is convenient at the time. Eventually someone will clean it, take it to be recycled or throw it away. Overall I didn't like the logic of the no public trashcan policy.

Note: At all large apartment buildings they have an area for trash and recycled goods. This system is fantastic. Although the security at my building could be recycling Nazi's (what do you mean I cant put this clear glass bottle with the brown glass bottle?!) they have it down to an art form. At my building recyclable goods could be put out once a week and trash could be taken out anytime.

Number 2: Bathrooms  (화장실 )

Washrooms, toilets, bathrooms and restrooms whatever you call them we all use them. Some are nicer than others but in Korea it's nearly always a game of Russian Roulette. Outside of the smells that seem to be constantly emitted by them (especially during the summer) bathrooms in Korea aren't usually a desirable experience. If you're in the vicinity of a nice shopping mall or newer buildings they can actually be quite lovely. The imported Japanese toilets will warm your buns, make sounds, clean your bum and even deodorize! The usual places you'll need to go though might not be up to par.

Obviously designed by the brightest of minds

Sometimes it seems that the person who designed the bath room was drunk. Urinals will be places incredibly close together, placed on either side of a sink, or will be inaccessible to handicapped folks. Also due to the drinking habits it isn't uncommon to see them filled with vomit (toilets, urinals and squatters alike) if their nearby restaurants. I can't speak for Seoul but in Busan and nearby areas bathrooms were used by all businesses on the floor they were located. If the building didn't have a hired cleaning staff the cleaning of the restrooms was left up to the business owners. This could lead to the toilets never being cleaned due to the fact no one wanted to take responsibility for them.

Still not sure how to fucking use these things

The squatter toilets (pictured above) was a locally hated by all guys who direly needed to drop a duece. It is incredibly inconvenient, many are installed in weird ways and you're never sure if it's safe to keep your pants on or take them off. Generally when these were found we'd have to hold it until something that could be sat on was found in the vicinity. These old style toilets can be found throughout Asia and are generally hated by all foreigners I've asked.

Some places are generally decent. If you've got to go subway/rail stations and shopping malls are a good bet.

A final note that was told to me on my first day was you should always carry toilet paper with you as well. There were many times friends of mine hadn't heard this advice and had nothing to wipe with after rocking the thunder dome. As stated before some bathrooms aren't "claimed" by anyone therefore no one will stock the bathrooms with TP (though some establishments have TP hanging near the exit closest to the bathroom). Always be prepared!

Number 1: Scooters

During my time in Korea there was always one thing I was terrified of. Scooters. I find it a bit ironic now due to the fact my current mode of transportation is indeed a scooter. Now, these folks are fucking crazy. I've seen scooters loaded down with three or four people hauling ass down the streets. I've seen delivery drivers on scooters go a smooth 45kph on the sidewalk. And I've seen a scooter plow into an old man crossing the crosswalk causing him to break his leg and lay in the intersection howling in pain.

Hey why don't we just flip a u-turn at this busy intersection? Fuck it! (true story)

Scooters are a very efficient mode of transportation but their drivers can be a bit dangerous. I was almost hit several times during my stay and learned to always keep an eye out for them.

We didn't start the fire

Also during my stay the law on scooters wasn't clearly established. A few of my friends had scooters and didn't need a license to use them. They were able to drive on either the sidewalk or the street though I heard that has been changed. Regardless if you find yourself walking the streets of Korea always keep an eye and an ear out for scooters!

Well this is the conclusion of my list! I hope you enjoyed your time here and feel free to disagree, argue  with or post your own experiences! Thanks for reading!

Traveling Back in Time: The Andong Folk Museum

One of my first adventures outside of Busan and Gimhae was to the city of Andong. Andong is a city of about 170,000 souls located in the Gyeongsangbuk-do province and is widely known for preserving the cultural heritage of Korea. I was asked by a coworker/friend to accompany him on the journey. With nothing else to do and the promise of seeing some unique things I decided it was a good plan of action. We left early in the morning and took the rail to the train station. It was to be my first time riding the KTX (the Korean bullet train). We were both lively souls before getting on the train and were singing Harry Belafonte's smash hit "Banana Boat Song (Day-O)" to the puzzled looks of Koreans passing by. The ride wasn't more than two hours which passed quickly by as the train flew through the countryside. We arrived at the station and began looking for our first place to visit, The Andong Folk museum. Well as things would have it we got off on the wrong stop. We ended up walking a little over three miles through the city until we reached an area we could catch a cab. At one point along our trek we passed by two Korean children who emphatically kept repeating "get some!" until we had passed them. Along the way we viewed spectacular murals lining the main street depicting traditional Korean games.

I thought it was an interesting way to liven up a rather typical Korean roadway. Though I'm still am not quite sure what this game was about but i think it had something to do with one of the men on the poles falling off.

Eventually we finally arrived at the museum. This museum consists of two parts: an indoor exhibit portraying the lives of Koreans during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) and an outdoor portion depicting houses and buildings of roughly the same time period. It was a delightfully entertaining way to explore a culture and time now long since passed.

 ^one of the statues outside the museums entrance^

Inside the museum there was information on everything from child rearing, cooking, weddings, traditional clothing, Confucianism and other spiritual practices. Two of the most interesting things I learned were as follows: The rather abundant use of hemp for making ropes and clothing and the ritual of praying to phallic rocks by pregnant women wishing to have a boy. To this day both of these activities are still practiced, hemp fields abound in the countrysides of Korea, though the latter being less used in modern times.

^hemp and other important plants^

^worshiping the mighty rock phallus^

The next leg of the museum led us back outdoors to view what life had looked like for village people during this time. The entrance to this portion of the museum was guarded by giant totem pole like statues. I never received the full explanation of this structures but the short English explanation said they were to guard against evil/bad spirits entering villages. With their fierce faces and their height of giant proportions I think they could work! 

        ^giant totem of doom^

This lovely folk village was build alongside a man-made reservoir helping to dam the Nakdong River. It adds a striking contrast when viewed from the upper parts of the village. 

        ^looking from the past into the future^

As we meandered through the village I was stricken with the feeling of being one of the last people on Earth... Who just happened to travel back in time. The buildings were only meant to be informative and without people inhabiting them it added a certain level of creepiness to them. It was as if they were the remnants of some ghost town in old Korea.  Of course there were a few other tourists exploring but we hardly ever crossed paths. 

   ^ghost town status^

We saw the old thatch roofed houses, a water-wheel used for milling and small government buildings. The larger of the buildings always used more expensive materials such as a lumber facades, masonry and tiled roofs. 

    ^water wheel^

    ^the expensive lumber facade^

    ^tiled roofs^ 

Eventually there was a break from the "lower village" into the "upper village" I can't be certain (due to the complete lack of informative signs) but I think it was meant to signify one of two things; the lives of the average people in comparison to the elite of society or the evolution of architecture during the Joseon Dynasty. The entrance to the upper village was heavily fortified by a large gate. There were also many places in which soldiers of the past could stand guard without being seen from the outside.

     ^lone monk outside the walls leading to the upper gate ^

      ^The view from the guard tower. Two Korean lovers embrace each other as twilight approaches^


Inside of the wall there was a guard tower, a garden, and other buildings of better quality. We even happened upon the what appeared to be the house of a governor or important government official.

   ^house of the boss^

Eventually we passed the village only to wander into the mountains to find an old burial mound. In Korea they often dig a shallow hole, place the body in and then cover it with a large mound of dirt. It is comparable to graves in America with one rather noticeable difference; where our graves are flat theirs are mounds. Sometimes these mounds are little bumps which are hardly noticeable; though other times, especially for historic figures such as kings, they are huge mounds that could be considered hills. From there we found the entrance to a newly paved road leading back into the city.

     ^burial mound^

We decided it was time to head back to the village entrance and eventually back to Andong.
 Once we arrived at the bottom of the hill we decided to travel across the reservoir using "Moonlight bridge." It is a beautiful bridge to view at night.

    ^the view at dusk from the folk village^

   ^bridge pagoda^

 Once we reached the other side it was already dark. And of course there were no taxis to be taken. So again we trekked back into Andong city. By this time my feet were killing me and my stomach was ready for all the kimchi and beer it could hold. Before entering the city limits we were able to view the city scape at night. Even with all the love hotels lighting up the night sky it was still a lovely view.

   ^The more fancily lit places are love hotels. It ain't called AnDONG for nothing^

We finally reached the city and found a chicken joint. It was located near the top floor of a multistory building which lacked sufficient lighting in the stairwell and at one point had a blockage of rubbish blockading the path upwards. Once inside we indulged in fried chicken and beer. In the booth in front of us was a table of young college age Koreans. Actually the entire place was filled with Koreans but this group just happened to be within range. I dared William to try and hit on one of the women at the table thinking he wouldn't possibly do it. The wager was 1,000 won ($1 USD). Low and behold he finally got the courage up (after nearly an entire pitcher of beer). He turns around, taps one on the shoulder and speaks poor Korean to them. What did he say? It was something along the lines of "You and me. Hotel now." Well, it didn't work. Actually they broke out in awkward laugh and she politely said no. The rest of the evening we continued to get sideways glances from them and their friends.

     ^Indiana Will^

After the meal and beer it was time to head back to the hotel to crash. The next day we were to set out on the next adventure to Teogye's Confucian School.