New friends

Well I just wanted to do a short little post to get everyone up to speed before I run off to Thailand in a few days and come back with more stories than I know what to do with. I'm sorry to say that I have no pictures to go along with this post, so please bear with me.

This past weekend was one of new friends and interesting conversation. Saturday night found us outside our favourite CVS having a few drinks, minding our own business when along came Jamil, an outgoing fellow from Pakistan who lives in our building. He works as a cook at a guest house for Indian and Pakinstani people who work at the Samsung plant near-by. So he invited us to come eat at the guest house, thinking we might be interested in some Indian food. Which, of course, we were. So Jamil sat down with us, and before you know it another friend Hokey, a Korean whom my fellow teacher Chris plays basketball with, joined us with his hip-hop cell phone and perfect mastery of English curse words. So this turned into more drinks (I chose to drink orange pop) and, as it usually will, the conversation turned to matters of religion and science. Did you know, for example, that a chicken is not an animal? Great debate was had over that topic, let me tell you. But luckily before things got too heated the fried chicken arrived, and at that point we didn't care whether it was an animal or not, just that it was delicious. Once we were finished picking the bones and licking our fingers we realized it was 4am, so retired to our respective beds. Another one of those random evening that will live on in memory as reasons I love Korea.

So on Tuesday we took up Jamil's offer of Indian food. 8 of us Villagers and my new friend Erich, a fellow Suwoner, formerly of Edmonton, with a Saskatchewan obsession and rented piano in his tiny Korean box-house, set off to find the guest house. We were greeted by Jamil and escorted to a sitting room in the parking lot complete with sofas, a table, and some orange drink. We chatted there for a while until there was room at the dining tables for us, and then partook in the most fabulous meal. There was actual basmati rice, much better than the usual sticky rice you get in Korea, lamb, lentils, and cucumber cooked in amazing spices so it was rich and sweet and...unlike cucumber. Who knew you could cook cucumber? We all gorged ourselves embarassingly and were so full we could hardly walk home. And all for the low low price of $8! Jamil was so happy to host us, and we were more than happy to accept his hospitality. We will definately being going back there some day soon.

So the adventure continues. As fall sets in we are relaxing as far as going out and doing things, but I hope that will change soon, or it could be a very boring winter. I'm looking into taking some drumming classes (sorry Mom, another musical instrument you'll have to store for me) and possibly going to Buddhist meditation "workshops" on the weekends. Some cozy things to keep me occupied for the winter. And! New friend Erich has informed me of a bungee jumping site in Korea somewhere. Guess what my next obsession will be?

So, I'm off to Thailand in two days. Probably won't post until I get back.