Hajjjiimmaaaa!

As much as I am hesitant to admit it I'm slightly hungover but I am awake and alive in Madison's apartment. We got to her apartment around 3am and I stayed as she went back out. I woke up to her pounding on her apartment door at 7am which was hilarious. I though maybe it was oneof her friends looking for her. She didn't have her key for some reason. She mumbled something literally incoherent and then passed out on her couch. I have never seen anything funnier in my life. I am currently updating my blog on her mac book waiting for her to wake up so we can eat and I can go back to Gwangju.
Getting to Seoul was another hilarious matter (disclaimer: sorry mom and dad and al the authority figures I respect-I love you and dont get mad but the next bit is about me being pretty irresponsible but there's a happy ending!!)
My training (well certification course) was planned for friday and saturday morning. I was supposed to wake up and go with my co worker, Paris, on Friday morning... early. Like 5:40am early. I decided o have a sushi dinner with the girls and a few drinks because I definitely did not have to work on Friday. We let's just say we all got carried away and I didn't get in until late. Bad decision number one. Bad decision number two was trying to pull an all-nighter after that. I made it until 4:30am and just closed my eyes for a second and woke up to sun and 7am. I panicked like no other! I put on clothes and ran to the post office where I was supposed to meet my co worker and there was no one there. I got myself to the bus station. Everything was fine after that. I got to Seoul, my co worker met me and I passed my training! I have my endeavor recorder and will post it on FB. If anything, I've learned my lesson and I have a pretty funny story. Korea really brings out the best and worst of a person!
The actual training wasn't too bad. The instructor Ben, gave some really good teaching tips and ideas that I am pretty excited to put into practice. I am not sure how long he had been in Korea for, but he had some really strong opinions on certain things which was a bit off-putting but all-in-all he was a nice guy.
Here is a little update on things in Korea
-they have little Styrofoam bumpers on car doors so that when they park close to people their car doors don't scratch other people's cars
- koran's are obsessed with image OBSESSED
- very fashion forward men will try to look 'prettier' than their female counter parts and I have seen some very good looking and well put together korean men
- it's the style here for guy to wear purses
- girls will have at least 3 facial reconstruction surgeries in their life time!
- middle school graduates (10 year old girls) usually get their eyes done to look more 'western' for a gift.
- a face surgery usually involves cheek bone implants, whitening of the skin and can cost upwards of 40,000 dollars
- korean's use beepers you'd get a a keg to wait on fastfood
- there subways are the epitome of subway. clean fast efficient. they even have floor to ceiling glass partition between riders and the 4 foot fall onto the tracks and when the train comes into the station t syncs with the partition and the doors open. no one call fall, no one can push anyone and no one can commit suicide
-suicide doesn't exist in Korea - they're called fan deaths. people die from their fans exploding in their apartments
I have pictures and other such things that I am going to put on Facebook. Madison is finally up and probably still drunk. We're going to McDonalds for breakfast! I am soooo excited I will post more soon. I just have been way too busy. I am loving life here. I am safe in a country with no guns and no drugs. Seriously if you're even caught with a joint (or a marijuana cigarette for the older audience) they would fine your school huge and then deport you. It is a crazy serious offence over here but there bars are open till 7am and old men get drunk and pass out on the sidewalk. I little crazy but everyday I walk to work with a smile on my face. This is life and it is amazing!
I love you all!!
Dominique