Haruyasumi South Korean Vacation

One thing you have to be ready for when you come to Japan is....

Making a bunch of Korean friends!!!
That's right, something you should know when you come to Japan as an exchange student is that you will probably be around other exchange students most of the time unless your Japanese is reallllllly good. The interesting thing though is that you will probably improve your Japanese alot by talking to Korean exchange students who usually have a pretty good grasp on the language and speak it more frequently than others.

Thanks to some of these friends Ive come to learn about some differences between Japanese food and others coming from Northeast Asia. Ive really come to like Korean food actually. Shoot, I used to really dislike kimchee back when I first experienced it in the states. Now, I recently found myself searching for it at grocery stores only to be disappointed. Somehow the Japanese really missed out on the whole spicy food thing. = / Anyhow, this newfound love for Korean food eventually sparked and fueled the idea for a Korea trip. ..

During this trip I was lucky to visit quite a few friends... some I hadn't seen in a while either. However, to be honest.. my second larges reason for coming to Korea was food. It was like going from the land of "happy meal" size portions to the land of "Omg how do you expect me to finish all this?!!"

The first thing I notice the first morning... there are lots of motorcycles overpacked with who knows what.

Our first meal in Korea. Filling!!!!




Nathaniel. ahh the first of my friends to move to Asia. He's sort of my cousin..
either way, explaining my relation to him was rather confusing to everyone.


Mmm my first car.


Found a few flags with some Korean mythical creatures...

Pegasus?


Not sure... wouldn't want to mess with it though.


Band Pic w/Alex.. Charlottes sis.


Awesome underground library/mall/restaurant complex at Ehwa Women's Univ.


Mickeys favorite place.


Wait no.. this was his fav place.


Bon chan!!! (spelling not correct)

It was awesome seeing Charlotte... nice and 元気 again!!
Her mom is an awesome cook.

The BL5

Hoon Hoon Hoon.... the best guy I know.. the master of haggling shop owners
everywhere he goes.

The fortress at Suwan was probably the best cultural place to go if I had to pick one.
It takes about an 2 hours to walk the walls around the entire fort.



Just part of the Oita Daigaku International Family

mmm found this Shark looking creature inside a grocery store at the World Cup Center.