I Love Hugs

I've learned that many Koreans are not very big on hugging like many of us waygooks are.

I found this out last year when I had come back from a nice 6 week vacation in Canada and when I gave my co-teachers hugs after not seeing them for so long, it was like hugging a lamp post.

Nothing.

They were very uncomfortable. This big waygook leaning in towards them going for the hug.
Ahhhhhhhhh

But, last Thursday, which was my last day at that school, my co-teachers and I went out for a nice lunch and chatted and I gave them some little gifts.

When we got back to school and parting ways to our offices, I got hugs from both of the teachers.

Genuine, real hugs! It was such a nice surprise and felt so nice.


Everyone loves a good hug!

Tae Kwon Do

My Master's husband is the TKD coach at a sports middle and high school just out of Mokpo.

These kids train allllll day and find time for school. They have devoted their lives to the sport and will hopefully compete for their country one day.

The schooling is paid for as many of the kids cannot afford to go to school otherwise. Hence the reason to train so much, to get better, to keep having your education paid for.

A few Saturday's ago, we drove out to their school to train with them. They have come to our club in Mokpo a few times to train with us so now it was our turn.

Their gym is a full size gym with padded flooring on top and 2 sparring rings.

It was great. We trained for a little over and hour which is nothing to these kids but something for us slow waygooks. These kids are AMAZING. So fast and so strong.

We took lots of pictures and had a great time.

We took a tour of their school and they were so excited that we came to see them.

Then we ate lots of pizza.

It was a good day!

There are some better pics on my facebook account.

Wall of Ass

This is what us waygooks call the random street smells that, well, smell like ass.

You can't quite describe it. You'll just be walking along, la la la, and BAM!

Like a punch in the face it hits you. Ohhhhhhhhh! God, what IS that!?

It's terrible. It's like rotting garbage, compost, sewage and I don't know what all rolled into one and it's terrible.

Now that it's summer time with temps constantly in the 30's and almost 100% humidity, you can just imagine how this adds to it.

The other day I walked home from school. I encountered many smells. Some were of the beautiful green trees everywhere, some were of flowers and many times I ran into the wall of ass.
Going for a run yesterday, I was attacked. Breathing through the mouth is not recommended. It's like eating the wall of ass.

This Friday I will arrive in Canada where I can breathe FRESH AIR and escape the ass. For a month anyway.

Say No!

After ranting about the smoking situation in Korea, I noticed a commercial on tv to "Say No!" to smoking.

I was amazed.

Has Korea finally realized how bad smoking is for you and that it's not cool. That it's disgusting and that not everyone wants to be around it!?

I sure hope so.

It was refreshing to at least see that the wheels are turning and awareness is being put out there.

Even if it's just one commercial. It's something!