Koreans love english and incorporate it into everything especially their fashion. Of course, with this come the inevitable spelling and grammar errors everywhere you look. I see shirts all the time that say things like "Love, Piece, and Happyniss" or "The best thing in lives are frie". This one, on the other hand, has no errors and for that is very impressive, in terms of grammar. Equally impressive is the fact that this nine year old kid appears to be so unashamed at being that intoxicated at half past noon:

I just realized that the photos uploaded as thumbnails, here are a few images that I enlarged for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!!!

The Boryeong Mud Festival in Daechon South Korea

The mudfest was incredible. We were supposed to go with a group of nine, but after all it turned out to be me, my co-worker John, and his girlfriend Houn. We didn't care though, they missed out on a great time. I was a little misinformed about the festival and its history, however, so let me set things straight. Mudfest has been going on for ten years now and was the brainchild of the tourism committee in Daechon (a small, sleepy coastal town about 70 miles from Seoul). They wanted to attract people to their town to boost the economy and decided to throw a festival with the town's only export: Facial Mud. Once a small company, 'Mud Rang' harvested their slurry near the town so it seemed only natural to involve their business with the festival. Ideas flowed, synapses fired, and the Mudfest was born. They truck 100 tons of mud down to the beach and set up a huge stage for bands, activities, booths, food huts, and mud dispensing stations. It's not the mud 'fight' that I had been told about, though, it's a more tranquil 'self-application' done with a paintbrush. People get really artistic about it...very cool to watch. The lack of craziness with which the application part is done is made up for in the mud slip n' slide, the pool, the wrestling arena (yes... mud wrestling), the concerts, and the general atmosphere created by 5000 drunken, muddy Koreans and foreigners mingling with each other in the sun for two days straight. The only real peace to be had outside of the confines of your own hotel room is in the ocean, washing away the grey earth and floating in the cool waters of the salty yellow sea. Okay, let the pictures begin:

On the way:

We arrive and it's crowded:

But where's the MUD?!!

Ahh, I found it!:

Apply mud to self:

mmm.... squishy

What's left to do but take a group photo:

Now let's walk around a little:

Maybe a little mud wrestling? Hmm, that's more of a spectator's sport if you ask me:

Let's go hear some music:

Go to Mud Jail, directly to Mud Jail, do not pass 'go', do not collect 200$:

Anyone for a refreshing swim... in mud?:

Then later that night, a really brilliant fireworks show choreographed to tunes from the likes of Queen and David Bowie:

"Bowies in Space"

And lastly, the result of too much Soju. This guy was down for the count at 11:30:

Anyway, it was a great time. After we got cleaned up we went to sing Karaoke at a "Norebang" (pronounced Nora bong). This is a Korean favorite where you get a private singing room for you and your friends without the embarrassment of having to crucify your favorite tunes in public. All in all a very fun trip and even though I have only been in Seoul for a month now, it was nice to get out of the city. So much so that when I got back on Sunday I decided to grab my jump balls and commit to leaving South Korea for my vacation in two weeks. After a little research I decided on Boracay, Philippines for a week on the beach. I am really looking forward to that. I hope you enjoyed mudfest as much as we did!!!

Boryeong Mud Festival

Here I come. We were going with a big group of nine people and everyone backed out except for me, my coworker John and his girlfriend Hon. So the three of us are leaving at 9:30 tomorrow morning. Check out the official website to see just how crazy this festival has become. It's supposed to rain, so the mud will be extra slurpy. MMMMMMM. I'll be sure to take pictures. 

http://mudfestival.or.kr/lang/en/index.jsp

Got the apartment. Ready for a tour??!!!

Okay but please, leave your shoes at the door:

The luxury bathroom equipped with an 'in the wall' shower head and no, we don't need no stinkin' curtain. Here in Korea, when you shower, everything gets wet. OH YEAH!

The laundry room. Very spacious and a killer state of the art dryer:

The living room designed by Marc Jacobs and furnished by Pottery Barn:

The magic place, or 'bedroom' in english, where I toss and turn on the concrete mattress. However, the sheets are silk and the blanket is real mink (sorry PETA), and I got both for 30.00$ 

This is the storage area/microwave place:

The kitchen right out of "That 70's show". I actually dig it and managed to cook a few great meals here already. Italian (with rice), German sausage (and rice), and breakfast (rice and eggs with bacon.... and rice):

 

The entertainment center: FABULOUS

yeah, it's a 16" 

And finally,

The Library:

     I know its not much but it's free and its mine for one year. Believe me, if your thinking to yourself "hey that's not bad" just scale your imagination down by about 10 square feet whatever it may be and THAT'S the real apartment. Don't let the pictures fool you, this place is SMALL. But hey, I'm no Shaq O'neal so no big deal for me. I can do this for a year....... I think. 

So here I am in Seoul, South Korea after a 16 hour fight (24 of travel time) and I'm tired and hungry!! I met my director, Anna, and the recruiter, Sammy, at about 11:00 When do these people sleep?? Anywhoser, they checked me into a motel and I gave them gifts, said goodbye, and passed out for a good 10 hours. MMMMMM.  When I woke up I turned on the TV and WHOAA MY GOD. The first two channels were straight Korean Porn. HEEEEELLLLOOOO KOREA! I found out later that this was called a "Love Motel", one of many in the city where you can check in by the hour or by the week if you know what I mean, nudge nudge. This would explain all the scented oils and such on the counter. To tell you the truth, I didn't mind so much. I had a couple of days to relax and get the feel of things (: .....Hey now, let's keep this blog 'G' rated, shall we?

The first room they gave me was WAY TOO SMALL:

So they 'upgraded me to a sweet' on the second day:

     

A difference of a whole 4 square feet!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!

     I am not complaining though. They are paying for it, so I really don't have anything to complain about. All in all it's a pretty sweet deal: I'll be working six hours a day, five days a week, with paid vacations and no rent, medical insurance, and severance for 2500.00 USD a month. Not too shabby. We'll have to wait and see what this rent free apartment looks like, though. Fingers crossed!