Grocery Auction

Like many young American men who come here, I have fallen in love with a Korean woman. I don't even know her name, but I see her all over the place, and she thinks I should drink more. I call her Soju Girl. Smiling from posters and billboards, she uses her charm and bared midriff to sell (and boost) the national spirit.

Knox school, and every other school in the country to my understanding, have closed for a week of summer vacation. I am looking forward to relaxing and exploring Anyang a little less hurried. Today, for example, I went to the E-Mart, another giant department store, which has adjacent to it a music store, where I bought strings for the thirty dollar guitar I bartered for at the central park weekend swap meet.

I decided I would return to my apartment from E-Mart on foot, and this was a mistake. After approximately two hours of walking in what was very possibly the right direction, I saw before me... the E-Mart again! I had somehow walked in a gigantic and bold circle. Something about crossing the same canal twice should have given it away. It ended up being a four dollar cab ride home. I will attempt this journey again once I have a bicycle.

I also made my first grocery shopping expedition this afternoon and was amazed by the majesty of the place. In the produce/butcher area is a man on a headset yelling at full speed, with his voice being broadcast though not just the store but around the block. Imagine going to Safeway and hearing "FISH FISH FISH! IT'S ON SALE! THIS LADY IS ABOUT TO BUY BUY BUY SOME FISH! SHE DIDN'T! SHE WILL BUY INSTEAD SOME... SHE WILL BUY SOME... LETTUCE! WE HAVE LETTUCE! LETTUCE LETTUCE LETTUCE! IT'S ALSO ON SALE!" and the like. It makes me feel like the whole grocery buying experience is some kind of auction.

I picked up some eggs, a bacon-y looking cut of pork, some beautiful looking heirloom tomatoes, and other similar articles. Tomorrow, with the assistance of the french press my coffee-loving sister sent me off with, I will construct my first western-style breakfast in my apartment. This will be fun.

And now, what you've all been waiting for. Another edition of:

Korean T-Shirts with Strange English Sayings on them:

"Are you Funky 3-Days"
"Vintage Spirit Bang Bang"
"Light Hearted Pole Emporium"
and my new favorite
"Eat me Pig"

The "Eat-Me Pig" might possibly be the mascot for a restaurant I walk past everyday. On their sign is a cartoon porker with gestures and an expression which can only mean "Who's got two thumbs and wants you to eat him? This guy!" And while on the topic of eating out, the other night I went to a place called Tofu House with English descriptions on the menu. I was tempted by a dish called "The cheese it puts and the chicken meat with the roasting and seasons" but instead went for seafood soup.

In a few days I plan on hopping a bus to Sokcho, a beach city on the east coast rumoured to have some of the very finest outdoorsy stuff around.