Hello From Korea

Hi Everyone!
It's been such a long time since I've blogged that I'm sure everyone was in tears! Don't worry I'm okay. Actually I'm better than okay! I'm in Korea if you can believe it! Don't worry, Juicebox did not kick me out of my own apartment, although I did leave him in charge so I'm a tad worried. In any case, I'm typing to you now from Bucheon, South Korea (don't worry I don't plan on crossing the border-lol-that could be applied in America too). I arrived pretty late on Sunday night. Since then I've become quite familiar with the subway system-been riding and rolling. I've also become quite familiar with Seoul (the capital). Abby lives about an hour (not even) from the center. So I've been going on excursions there nearly everyday. Let me tell you it is such a great city. It has these fourteenth century palaces mixed with huge skyscrapers!
Aside from that, I visited a Buddhist Palace today. I actually got a private tour. I went into the tourism office (if you can call it that, it was tiny) requesting a brochure. This old cheerful woman that looked like a Korean troll asked where I was from and I said California. Then she kept saying orange and Hollywood. I nodded and a young woman came out from behind me (Koreans are very very quiet) and offered to give me a tour free of charge. The old woman came with us and the two of them explained the temple and all the practices. Afterwards she said I could walk around because that's what foreigners like to do (she had many odd stereotypes about foreigners) but don't disturb the Buddhists because they cannot be distracted. I really wanted to take pictures of the prayer and the four huge drums but I figured this would be disrupting their sacred space so I kept my Nikon in the backpack. As I left, the old tour guide (her name was Mi-Sa although she couldn't pronounce my name) asked if I was travelling alone. I then explained to her that Abby, my friend, is teaching in Bucheon. I really wanted to walk around Seoul some more and find some Buddhist souveniours (the hats are darling), but she took my hand and led me to the subway station. Of course as I thanked her in Korean (or my version of it-she kind of gave me this very odd look of why the heck does this foreigner even try) and she responded by showing me a picture of her son. That's another big thing in Korea I've discovered-random parents trying to set you up with their sons. (Somehow the language barrier would be a problem). I shook my head, thanked her (in English, she seemed to respond better to this), then headed on my way to the Station and back to Bucheon.
Oh and on a sidenote to any bookworms-English books are 20 bucks here in most bookstores because they are imported so I was shocked today to find "Little Women" for four dollars. Now I have to read it! Goodbye everyone and hope everyone is having a great summer!