Saraksan

   Hi all! Boy, I'm ready to come home. I guess it's just I really miss my friends and family. I have been fortunate to have had really supportive, loving, caring, funny, and creative friends and family. I have never been bored, and I have never once questioned if they cared about me, or appreciated me. I often wonder in Korea if I'm actually doing any good, or if my presence even matters.. this goes to all parts of life, here. But, I have some really good friends who remind me why I'm here when the going is tough, so thanks to those who send me those encouraging messages.

     On Saturday we went to a Cherry Blossom Festival, it was beautiful to see all the cherry blossoms, but way too windy for us to actually appreciate the beauty. However, we all joked around, and made the most of our experience. Denise and I both played some drum like instruments that I'm assuming were traditional. Loren has those pictures, so I'll try to steal them and share them when I have the opportunity. I also tried some traditional Korean food. The weird list of food that I have tried in Korea is: Pig lung, pig intestines with noodles, bugs, and candied baby fish. I wouldn't suggest eating the lung, or the bug.. but the intestines with noodles are good, as long as you put salt on them, and I really enjoy eating the candied baby fish. I hope to eat live octopus here, soon! It's octopus season, so apparently it's the best time to go get your live octopus. I guess I'll have to expedite that cuisine choice.

     

 Pigs lung

 pig intestine

 not bad..

Cherry Blossom Festival

        I went to lunch at Hannah's host family's house today. Her mom made salad, a bacon cream pasta, and gave me fruit.. I felt like I was eating like a queen.. it was so nice to have fruit. I also got to meet my potential host sister, she didn't speak any English, but she seemed really nice.. hopefully this still follows through, I think I need to get out of the apartment for my own mental health. I tend to just shut myself in my room and won't go out unless it's a weekend. This is extremely bad for me, I never get the fresh air and sunshine I need to combat a bad day at work.. like every day. I will be Hannah's neighbor if I do indeed move in with this host family, and that is extremely exciting for me. Hannah lives in a beautiful location, two mountains on either side of her "city", and trees everywhere! We went on a small hike up Saraksan Mountain. We didn't go too far, and ended up playing in the water most of the time. It reminded me a bit of Shevlin Park, and I really miss Bend, and Oregon in general. 

  

       

 just a really cool building that I am assuming has some Buddhist affiliation.

 I'm in a Korean style gazebo

Saraksan Mountain 

           Before we left for Korea, in our pre-departure training camp, we were talking about the culture shock symptoms. With cars and motor cycles driving on the side walk, and cross walks having a short time frame ( if it ends and you're still walking across the street, you'd better book it to the other side.... the cars don't care that you're there) and a long time in between the next green man allowing you to walk, it's no wonder I'm constantly surprised with Korea, and still experiencing culture shock. I think this a good thing, keeps me on my toes. Like my Baba says, there are so many different ways of life in this world, yet we are all so sure that ours is the best one to go by. I think it's important to go out and explore the world, and maybe take parts of culture home, but boy howdy, I miss America. Also, never ever push the cross walk button, apparently that's only for the disabled. Luckily, I heard about this before trying it out on my own. 

            There was a faulty address to the first one I put on here, so here's the updated one: 

Rhys Williams

c/o Seoul YMCA 2 floor #208

Jongno 69, Jongno-gu

Seoul 110-753

Republic of South Korea

       I hope you are all doing well! Cheers from the safer of the two Koreas!