Happy New Year

I must say I had one of my more interesting New Years Eve celebrations yesterday and last night. For those of you who have seen that movie, Lost in Translation with Bill Murray, that is my life here in Korea. Yesterday was no different. Here are a few more observations/stories from yesterday's latest adventure to Seoul.

After two attempts last week to see Casino Royale on the IMAX in Seoul, we finally succeeded, although it was a close call. The theater is set up like the DMV. You go and pull a number out of a machine and there is a counter with flashing numbers that ding when numbers are called. Although here, there are no signs posted to remind you that it is a felony to strike or curse at a public employee. The employees are very nice, eventhough they do not speak a lick of English and I don't speak Hongul (the Korean language) other than hello, thank you and goodbye. Next to the movie picture and title is the number of seats left for the showtime. Of course we drew a ridiculously high number and were well on our way to accepting defeat for a third time. Being gregarious Americans, my friend and I attempted to approach the ticket counter to find out if there is something jacked up with the number system, seeing that everyone else drew numbers fairly close to the ones being called and we had a number that was like 100 numbers off. As we approach the counter, the ticket girl, who had previously had the ever so lovely and permanent smile, is now panic strickened. As we attempt to ask if there is a problem, she says "Hold on I get English!" and then disappears. Out pops another ticket girl, who also had a previously lovely and permanent smile, who was as equally terrified. They both look at us kind of smile and then proceed to assist the customers behind us. As we are we are standing there, our number finally gets called and we finally buy our ticket. I joked to my friend, that we may have bought tickets for Happy Feet instead of Casino Royale. To which he replied, "If this movie ain't Casino Royale, I will throw a chair through the !@#$%^screen!" I must say, James Bond and action scenes on a fifteen story screen is awesome!!!!

It's funny how much South Korea has adopted many American/U.S. ways of life. One such import is mechanical bull riding. Once I get the picture from my friend, it will be posted. As we wade our way through a sea of Koreans, I look out of the corner of my eye and sure enough there is a mechnaical bull and the Koreans are loving it. The ever famous three letters W-T-F pop into my mind at this point. I guess you could win a prize or something because there was a table of wrapped goods etc nearby the bull. The announcer also had a stop watch in hand. What makes it an even bigger WTF is a closer look revealed it wasn't even a mechanical bull. It was a cow like figure with a dreadlock wig on. Once the picture goes up you will see what I am talking about.

In addition to the mechanical bull, the subway system is also great example of how U.S. customs and cultures have been exported to Korea. Just like America there is a great representative cross section of the community that utilizes public transportation in Seoul. In the first week or so that I have ridden the subway, I have been cursed at, preached to and belched on. Yesterday was no different. On our way home from the movie, there was a very normal looking gentleman who probably had a lot of Soju and was very talkative, toward my friend and I. I guess I should have taken a que from the other Koreans on the train with me. When they saw this guy coming they did their best Moses impression and parted like the Dead Sea. I did not see him because I watched these two other old drunk Koreans sprawled out on the seat next to where I was standing and was thinking of a way to quickly get out of the way in the event one or both would happen lose their New Years Kimche and or soju (Korean vodka). The next thing I know the drunk is shaking my hand then starts shouting in Hongul. My friend and I look at each other and kind of laugh. I guess he did not like that too much. I would like to think of him as greeting me and welcoming me to Korea but somehow I doubt that. Last week I had another very crazy lady try to sell me gum and sing Jingle Bells in Hongul out of tune. For those wanting to know what to send in a care package, hand sanitizer/water free soap is now high on my list. I wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year.