Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Korea is a bit different from that back home.  It's considered a "couples" holiday almost comparable to Valentine's Day.  You spend Christmas Eve with your sweetie, exchange gifts, and eat Christmas cake that can be purchased at your local Baskin Robbins, Paris Baguette, Dunkin' Donuts or local bakery.  So on Christmas Eve we just had a date night, went to a part of town with Christmas decorations, wandered the streets with hot coffee in hand, and enjoyed a "couples" Christmas.


But it's always during the holidays when I long for home and the family, food, snow, traditions, and quirks that go along with it the most.  We certainly did our best to make Korea feel like home this year.  Whether it was making homemade decorations, cookies, cinnamon rolls or getting together with friends---Christmas came to Korea.  And evidently, so did Santa, as in true Runestad Christmas tradition fashion, he forgot something in our window sill---his bottle of soju. 

We baked peanut butter reindeer cookies for
our colleagues.  

The white elephant gift I received after my
jar of dill pickles was stolen from me.  Found out later that night that
 I definitely wasn't used to eating
 these cheesy balls of MSG and fake flavor anymore. 

On Christmas day, Aaron and I helped put on a program at a local orphanage.
We were in charge of the snowflake making/decorating station.  This adorable little lady
wanted a snowflake beard...

and decided he should have one too.

Sharing his snowflake making skillz.

But the snowflake making didn't stop there.  We finished Christmas Day with
a gathering of friends and food and Aaron continued to perfect
his snowflake making skillz into the wee hours of the morning.

The holiday season also signals an end to the school year.  Although the official school year is over, we each have 3 weeks of English camp starting Monday that we'll be running at our schools.  It's a much more laid back and fun way to connect with our students and teach English.  Jake will be joining the second and third week of mine when he comes to visit.  I look forward to putting him to work (the theme of the second week is "English through Music" on purpose) as well as showing him around.  Let's hope Pyongyang doesn't do anything to hinder that...

North Korean defectors

Here's a video worth watching to get a glimpse about defectors from North Korea called Learning Liberty.  SBS Dateline is a documentary program out of Australia.  Check out some of their other work as well---it's outstanding.


In regards to the drills coming up at the beginning of this week, I'm not sure what to say.  The South claims that it's doing normal, routine drills which are in no way provocative, but as I'm sure you've read in countless articles, the North is threatening all out war.  I really don't think the second Korean War will break out as North Korea has to know that it will clearly lose any war it starts (it's bombastic rhetoric can't win wars).  But who knows as that country is so eerily unpredictable.  


However, that being said, there's no sense of panic or fear where we are. So please try not to worry too much (and watch the American news with a grain of salt).  


  

Chilled to the bone

It's that time of year again when it's frigid outside AND in.  It's 27 degrees (F) today, not freezing cold by Midwest standards, but cold enough to shut the windows in our houses, work places, and cars. But, as I sit in the teachers' room or wander into the hallway, bathroom, and classrooms, I find that the windows are open everywhere.  This is one part of Korean culture I will never never EVER understand.  And yes, I'm going to take this chance to complain because I can't exactly complain to anyone here at school.


On one hand, I know they are conserving energy by not heating the school hallways, bathrooms (yes, that cold air gives you a little thrill when you squat), and cafeteria.  But, when I finally get myself into a supposedly warmer room, I find the windows wide open.  I've been told it's for ventilation purposes, but I would rather be warm than taking breaths of cold, "fresh" air. I'm all for conserving energy, lowering the thermostat, wearing more clothing, but isn't it counterintuitive when you open the windows and have the heat on?  I could wear the same outfit to school everyday because no one sees my clothes as I'm bundled up in a scarf and coat everyday.  I'm actually astounded as to how many expensive coats my teachers sport everyday.  They are clearly used to this idea of being cold all of the time and have turned it into a new way to make a fashion statement.  


But although people seem used to this always being cold, they don't hold back from complaining.  I can tell the students are freezing in their classrooms and the teachers are clearly just as cold. I can't imagine a somewhat warm room with continual freezing gusts of wind rushing into the classroom is an environment conducive to learning.


However, I will stop my rant to rave about the floor heating we have in our apartment.  It's truly one of my favorite parts of Korea.  After school, I thaw out my arms and legs and lay on the warm floor, with the doors and windows closed of course.  It's one of my favorite moments of the day.  

Konglish

Here's some more Konglish for your reading pleasure.  

Actually it's a delicious dish.

Not sure if I'd get my hair cut there.

And this place sells women's clothing.

Lately

Student showcasing their acrobatic martial arts amazingness
at my school's talent show.

Happy...December?  How did that happen so fast?  November proved to be a busy but fantastic month here in Korea.  Aside from the unrest occurring near the border, I might just say it was one of the best months we've had here.  Here's some of what we were up to:


School Festivals
Both my school and Aaron's school had festivals this fall. My school's consisted of a talent show and Aaron's school had a day of games/activities and displayed student's artwork in the hallways.  Also, my school held the annual sports day again full with costumes, foot races, and team games.  It was a blast, and I'm convinced to bring this idea back to the US.

Little Minnies on sports day!

Yes, the boy on the left is poop.

These boys had to all jump rope at the same time.  
The team that could jump the most times without 
messing up was the winner. 

And, here is a video of one of my students playing the recorder at our talent show.  I didn't even know it was possible to play like this! He was amazing!!  Check it out here!


Brewing
Aaron's brewed three different beers now in Korea. And, I have to say, they are absolutely delicious.  We are two people who appreciate a good beer (quality over quantity) and, I know I've said it before, Korea is not known for its beer.  Yes, you could call us beer snobs, but really, as I watch Aaron carefully mix the wort and yeast and measure the sugar levels etc., I realize it's more of a science project for him.  I figure he's getting his science fix, and I (and our friends) get to benefit from the Nut Brown Ales, India Pale Ales, and the Stouts he creates! 

Novel Writing
Yes, I managed to write 50,000 words in one month.  I think by the end Aaron was a bit tired of me typing in a cafe rather than out adventuring with him, but it turned out to be worth it.  The title of my "novel" is Through the Coffeehouse Window.  I have to admit, it's a bit of a personal pilgrimage of sorts--a story I've been meaning to write and bring to a close for many years now and this offered me the opportunity to do it.  So, it was somewhat realistic fiction yet with some non-fiction thrown in.  :)  After this experience, I rediscovered how much I truly enjoy writing but at a more leisurely pace.  Although this experience really helped me suppress my inner editor, I grew a bit frustrated when I HAD to just write what came to mind in that instant because otherwise I wouldn't make my word count for the day. I look forward to actually writing a longer piece of fiction at a more leisurely pace and without being so self discerning.  


Photography
As you know, we bought a new camera this year.  Aaron's fallen in love and is taking pictures like crazy!  I find him, quite often, reading the camera manual to learn more and more.  He's joined this photo blog with a friend from here and is submitting a photo each week.  Check it out! http://www.shutterswithoutborders.com I asked him to share some of his favorite photos he's taken lately.  Here's what he gave me:

On the streets of Busan.

Our good friend Rachel from Eau Claire, Wisconsin! 

Our friend Luke doing a bolder problem during a Busan climbing event.  .

A beautiful sunset right outside of our apartment window.

Motorcycle
And, finally, yes, we bought a motorcycle.  After months and months of pleading and begging me to give in, I finally did.  Aaron's been wanting one for some time now.  And, after Aaron took me for a ride up and over the mountain near our house on this guy, I was sold. It's a very very practical way to get around Korea and many people have them here.  It's an older bike, but we got a good deal on it.  I never thought I'd be a motorcycle owner, but I really really am enjoying it!  And yes mom, we ALWAYS wear helmets.  

Posing with our new Daelim 125cc monster motorcycle.

So, as fall transitions into winter, we're looking forward to heated floors, skype dates with our families and friends, the holiday season, and a visit from Jake in less than a month!  Happy holidays everyone!

Just keep writing, just keep writing...

Why I haven't been writing on here lately:


As some of you may or may not know, I have a life list of things I want to do before I die.  Since being in Korea, I've managed to cross 3 things off the list: live and work in a foreign country, go to Asia, and write a novel.  Well, hopefully in 15 days I will be able to cross off that last one.  


The month of November is Nanowrimo month.  It's a different approach to novel writing begun by a group of ordinary people with a will to write.  You have exactly 30 days in the month of November to write a 50,000 word novel (about 1,667 words a day).  It is more about quantity rather than quality, but I have to admit, it makes me write.  For someone like me who has an evil editor on her shoulder all the time, Nanowrimo has taught how to simply write and not think--a skill I've been attempting to master all of my life.  It has been quite the cathartic experience, and I'm falling in love with writing all over again.    


And so, after half a month, I have 25,120 words. 24,880 to go!  I'll see you all again in December.

Oh fall, how I love thee

Our campsite at Gayasan National Park.

Fall is in full swing in Korea and it sure is breathtaking! Although we have no apple orchards with warm apple cider donuts and goats to pet, we're making do. It is still apple season here and I've already made a pie,  applesauce, and apple crisp. I also brought a can of pumpkin butter back from the US. When I get homesick, I just lather up a piece of toast with some of that sweet, buttery goodness and I'm back in the midwest.  


Among my other favorite things about fall are the colors. I remember taking Sunday family drives along Hwy. 2 to see the bright orange, red, and yellows of the Rock River Valley. So in order to get our fix, Aaron and I decided to head to one of the national parks about 2 hours from Busan. Gayasan National Park is known for its colors as well as its temple tucked up in the mountains. It was a BEAUTIFUL weekend and although it was cut short with a rainy Saturday night/Sunday, this park was worth the trek.   

Walking into Chi-in village from our campsite.

At beautiful Haeinsa, the temple within the national park.

Almost to the top!

We made it!

The waterfall right next to our campsite.  We'll be back when it's warm for swimming!

Paul and Mary do Korea!

On a cruise off the coast of Busan.

What a fantastic past few weeks we've had!  The highlight---a two week visit from my parents!  The two weeks were packed with visiting my school, a trip to Seoul, viewing North Korea and visiting the DMZ, eating all kinds of raw (and sometimes still squiggling) seafood, and hiking in the beautiful mountains. 

After 2 delayed planes, a missed flight, and a night in Tokyo, Japan, my parents made it to Korea!  My school was kind enough to let me skip out on a few classes so I could meet them at the airport. Upon arrival, I rushed them to the apartment to drop off their stuff and then, after only 2 hours in Korea, they ended up in the principal's office.  But rest assured it was on a positive note.  He greeted them with tea, and true Korean generosity, offering them anything and everything they said was "beautiful" or "interesting" including a wooden tea table and teapot.  My dad kindly declined at the time, but little did he know...

The next day we went to the ocean and Jalgalchi Market, an "aquarium" in which you can choose your dinner from a tank and have it ready on a table within 10 minutes!  My dad bravely ate the still squiggling octopus.

No fear!!

Aaron and I were lucky enough to have 4 days off of school for Chuseok, Korea's version of Thanksgiving.  Many things were closed for those few days so we headed to our favorite temple in the mountains.  We also ate at a very traditional Korean restaurant on Chuseok and both my parents tried and spat out silkworm larvae as well as dozens of fermented vegetables (which they enjoyed a bit more than the silkworms).  

The beautiful rice paddy fields behind Tondo Temple.

At Tongdo Temple.

Mom being interviewed by some English students at Insadong Market in Seoul.

Our next adventure was to Seoul and to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone).  Going to the DMZ was something Aaron and I have wanted to do since we arrived in Korea.  We went on a tour through the USO (the United Services Organization). The border between North and South Korea is the heaviest guarded border between any two countries.  Perhaps the most startling thing about the tour was realizing how close the DMZ is to the second largest metropolitan area in the world. It took us a mere 45 minutes to get to the border from downtown Seoul.  

Standing beside a South Korean soldier in the Military Armistice Commission building.  This is where joint meetings have been held for the observation of the armistice signed between North and South Korea.  We are currently in "North Korea" at this moment hence why we weren't quite sure if smiling was an appropriate reaction.  

One particularly interesting thing you see when you look over the border is what the South Korean's call Propaganda village.  Until 2004, this "fake" village blared North Korean propaganda from huge loudspeakers.  Now all it boasts is the world's highest flag tower which stands 525 feet tall and flies a 600 lb North Korean flag.  Apparently when the nearby South Korean village of Daeseong raised a South Korean flag, the North Koreans had to one-up them. 

During their second week here they were finally over the jetlag and feeling good.  We hiked, ate some pretty unusual sushi dishes including raw whale (which Aaron and I had vowed not to eat after seeing The Cove documentary), drank tea, norebanged (Korean karaoke), and toured Busan with my co-teacher.  It really was fantastic having them here. 

Drinking tea in Sanseong mountain village.

Hiking up Geumjeong Mountain.

On a coastline cruise with my co-teacher Ms. Park.

And remember that tea table my principal offered them on the first day?  On the last day my principal gave them a table, tea, and a beautiful traditional tea set.  My mom got tears in her eyes after experiencing the incredibly generosity of my principal and the others she met here in Korea.  Of all the things I will take away from my time in Korea, it is the incredible generosity of the people here.  I'm thrilled my parents were able to experience it first hand as well. 

Cabbage Crisis!

I never thought I would be so affected by a cabbage shortage!!  But to my dismay, there is a cabbage crisis sweeping the nation of South Korea.  It has even become international news!  You can read the NPR article here.  As a result, we do not have cabbage kimchi at school lunch nor do we get free refills of kimchi at restaurants.  To me, this is as unKorean as it gets.  Now you may sense a bit of a sarcasm in my typing and yes, I do have some towards the subject.  But for many Koreans this is a serious thing.  It is part of their livelihood and what defines them as a culture.  Some even believe it cures many things.  I suppose you could compare it to a lettuce or potato shortage in America...but not even because in America we don't eat lettuce for literally breakfast, lunch, AND dinner or think that they can cure/prevent diseases. 


I know this may be a stretch, but all sarcasm aside, this kind of event makes me think about how more of this kind of stuff could happen in the future. Not only food shortages, but natural resource shortages due to our changing climate and overuse/abuse.  Maybe not in our near future, but certainly in our future.  I suppose it goes to show we should never take anything (not even a red chili paste and fish oil covered piece of fermented cabbage) for granted. 

Appreciating Art in Many Forms

Aaron outside of the Busan Modern Art Museum.

So even after a year in a city, you can still find plenty of new and exciting things tucked away in back alleys or just right off the subway line. We'd always meant to check out the Busan Modern Art Museum but never did...until now. We really were incredibly impressed by the quality and thought provoking exhibits it contained. The main exhibit was entitled "Living in Evolution" and explored human evolution over time as well as what the future may hold. Some of the exhibits certainly touched on the question Aaron and I always pose, "Is our human evolution going in the 'right' direction?"

This was amazing! All of these are cut from thin sheets of metal and set on top of a perfectly smooth layer of sand. It is part of the main exhibit entitled "Living in Evolution.

My new friend...well, at least half of her.

Aaron has been enjoying the architectural art outside of our apartment window. There was a HUGE crane there for about one week and his goal was to see it actually doing something (for some reason it never moved when we were awake). Then, just yesterday morning, he was doing his morning "crane check" and with no luck, was off to take a shower. But when he came back from the shower, the crane was down and being dismantled. He was sincerely disappointed. ha.

The sunset outside of our apartment window. We're continually in awe of the beauty as well as how quickly they are getting the bridge done!

In other news, we're ANXIOUSLY awaiting the arrival of Mama and Papa Runestad in 2 days! They will arrive on the 19th and we'll spend 2 weeks frolicking around Korea (including to the DMZ) together. We can't wait!

Quirky Korea--Konglish

Yum.  I LOVE rice creakers!

A new car

This morning I came to my desk to find a small bottle of apple yogurt on my desk. I looked around and realized every teacher had one of these on their desks.  I am usually the last to know why these random snacks appear, so I decided to take the initiative and ask my teacher where it came from.  It turns out one of my colleagues bought a new car this weekend so he brought in yogurt for everyone.  This type of thing used to surprise/perplex me, but now I simply smile and enjoy my yogurt.

You see in Korea joy is not something to be kept, it is something to ALWAYS be shared.  If someone gets a new car, has a son/daughter who performs well on a test, or even gets a new haircut, he or she will bring in something that will bring joy to everyone else around them (usually food of course!).  It's not considered selfish or bragging--it's simply what you do when you are part of a community.  You're never alone in anything. You share, you love, and you feel together.

I love it.

Sulsa vs. Salsa

So today in class I was showing a picture of my father and me eating salsa, and every time I said "salsa" my students would giggle and just be silly. After class I asked my teacher what was so funny and she said that in korean the word for diarrha is "sulsa" and is pronounced very similarly. Who knew that all day I was saying that my dad and I were eating diarrhea!! AWESOME

Here's to a New Year

Well, it’s been a while.

What a fantastic summer Aaron and I have had so far.  Since June, we’ve had the opportunity to be Korean tour guides for Aaron’s best friend Reid, swim in the ocean, climb the beautiful mountains around Busan, and take a trip to visit our family and friends in the USA.  It has been full but only of the best things in life.

Reid’s Visit  (best explained through pictures)

Aaron and Reid in front of the Gwangali Bridge.

Of course we had to take him to a Lotte Giants baseball game.  And you can see him sporting his new Korean glasses.  He was Koreatized. :)

Reid was also here for our final book club meeting (he even read the short story!) as well as our farewell dinner to many friends who were leaving.  Such a good lookin' crew.   

Home

Our time home was nothing short of fantastic. Before I came home, my dad asked me what I wanted him to have ready for me when I walked in the door.  My requests were sharp cheddar cheese, a sampler pack of New Belgium beer, and dill pickles.  In true dad style, all was ready for me in the fridge as well as my favorite cereal in the cupboard.  And, although I came home to a NEW house, I have to say I didn’t miss the old one at all.  Everything from the big oaks, the din of frogs and cicadas, Jake’s piano playing, and the smell of pancakes frying in the morning uttered home.  

Like mother, like daughter.

But I did experience a bit of culture shock as expected.  Perhaps the thing I enjoyed the MOST as well as the most shocking was being able to eavesdrop on conversations.  In Korea I’ve gotten used to being surrounded by “white noise” as I usually do not understand what is said around me.  But, when I finally got on the plane from Detroit to Chicago it was English overload!  I felt like a kid in a candy store.  Which conversation should I choose—a high school boy who just got back from Germany who’s telling a girl about how he drank beer for the first time or a family of four with a little girl asking her mommy how to draw a horse.  I know they weren’t incredibly enlightening conversations, but at that point, anything seemed entertaining. 

And then there were times during my stay at home when I wondered why I was leaving again.  Whether it was hiking through the woods with Toby, eating ridiculous amounts of cheese, catching up with old friends over coffee and swedish pancakes, outdoor concerts, family game nights, and having a big kitchen to cook in!  Saying goodbye to my family and friends was surprisingly more difficult than it was when Aaron and I first left for Korea.  But, that being said, I'm learning more and more everyday that my heart likes to multitask and it's getting really good at being in 100 places at once.  In other words, thank goodness for the internet.

A New Year

A new contract year is upon us and for Aaron this means a new school.  He is now the Native English teacher in one of the highest scoring and wealthiest middle schools in our area AND has only a 5-minute walk to work everyday.  This is in stark contrast to his last school, which was the lowest scoring high school in Busan and took an hour bus ride to get there.  He will greatly miss his beloved male teacher friends at his old school and their Monday soccer games, but he’s excited to be teaching students he can actually converse with and are eager to learn.  I’m absolutely thrilled he’s so jolly about this coming year.  His teachers have already pointed out how happy he seems everyday.

Although it was hard to leave home, we’re now back in the swing of things and trying to figure out what we need/want to do during our last year in Korea.  The few things on our list thus far are: save money, buy more food from the outdoor market/eat locally and seasonally (I’ve become kind of a stickler about this since Koreans are SO good about it and after reading “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver---I recommend it!), find more volunteer opportunities, learn how to really make Korean food, and explore more of this beautiful country. 

We are looking forward to my parents’ visit coming up in a little over 2 weeks as well as fall weather.  Here’s to another year!

War?

When Aaron and I first came to Korea, we were told three things never to talk about with Koreans: the war/North Korea, politics and religion.  Well, needless to say, lately it seems that’s all we’ve been talking about with each other, other foreigners, and Koreans. So after talking with my concerned family and friends, I thought I should share some of the dialogue Aaron and I have been having with Korean colleagues, friends, and students about what’s going on here (or at least what we think is going on).

First of all, let me start with something that happened to Aaron about a few weeks ago.  As a high school teacher, most of Aaron’s oldest male students will be doing their required 2-year military service next March after they graduate.  Therefore, they’re quite concerned about the possibility of war.  However, sticking to what we were told at orientation, Aaron never brought up the topic in class.  Until one day he was doing his normal, “how are you?” routine at the beginning of class and one student raised his hand and said, “bad.”  Now, when any students stray from the programmed, “I’m fine, thank you, and you?” answer there’s clearly something important they want to say.

So, Aaron asked the student why he was feeling so bad.  The student responded with somewhat helpful hand gestures and said, “South Korea, North Korea, war!”  Now, we were never told if a Korean brings up the topic if it’s okay to talk about.  But, in this case, because his students never want to talk and were actually showing concern about something, Aaron decided to ask more questions.  He continued with a lead up question, “So, what do you think about the possibility of war?”  Now, as many know, his students are quite low so they all looked to the Korean teacher to translate.  But, Aaron’s male Korean teacher refused to translate.  Aaron tried to reword the question in a different way in hopes that the students would understand, but it was no use—the students didn’t understand and the Korean teacher just stood there.  Then, the Korean teacher told Aaron, “You don’t want to talk about this with students.  Start your lesson.” 

After the class, Aaron and his teacher talked about what happened.  Essentially his teacher (an older gentleman) said he never wanted to talk about North Korea with a foreigner ever again.  

Now, we’ve told this story to some of our closer friends here in Korea (old and young) and received a few explanations: 

• About half of the older generation, specifically teachers, believe Kim Jong-Il is the answer for reunification, therefore, he is not a bad man.   This is the reason why even students and teachers are not allowed to talk about politics or North Korea in schools.
• Another teacher explained that Aaron’s teacher simply doesn’t want to talk about it because the country is quite divided on the subject.  Apparently a large number of young Koreans believe that the Cheonan sinking was a conspiracy.  They believe it was posed by the conservative party in hopes of handling the situation in positive way and, therefore, receiving votes in the upcoming election. But, the older generation truly believes it was North Korea and so there is rising amount of conflict concerning the subject. 
• Still, another teacher told me that in elementary school she was taught North Koreans were devils and that they were inferior to South Koreans. She knows better than thinking they are “devils” now, but she said that most people just hate North Korea and its people.

So, this was certainly a wake up call to Aaron (and me).  In American schools it would be unheard of NOT to use a situation like the Korean conflict as a learning tool and mode of discussion while in South Korea the discussion is banned from schools.  But one thing we’ve come to know is that there is NO room for conflict in Korean culture.  I suppose the lack of opportunities for discussion, free thinking, and tackling difficult/conflicting issues is what is a bit frustrating about education in South Korea from an American’s perspective.

Although it is difficult to get any type of clarity in regards to this situation, I do have to say that when it comes down to it most of the teachers, students, and friends we talk to are really not concerned about the possibility of war.  Now, frankly, I’m not sure if this is a result of the eroding connection each generation seems to have to the Korean War or their acknowledgment but just sheer annoyance with North Korea’s tactics (it seems they find them more annoying than threatening). 

Anywho, I will assure you that Aaron and I are registered with our embassy and if anything were to occur, we are in the safest place in South Korea.  Busan is about as far from Seoul as you can get and we would be on a boat to Japan as soon as possible.   But here’s to hoping we can stay on this beautiful, mountainous land for another year.

Election Fever

Election fever is wild in Busan.  Tomorrow citizens will vote for regional leaders (mayors, governors, etc).  However, unlike in the United States, campaigning only began about 3 weeks ago and the election is tomorrow!  Although most of the campaigning is centered around dancing 아줌마 (older Korean women) with matching straw hats, trucks strewn with banners of the candidates' awkward senior picture poses, and singing supporters on every corner, their shortened campaigns do make sense.  Now, I've been reading that some of the campaigning has been lessened because of the sinking of the Cheonan, but still, it is not as ludicrous as the campaigning in America (even if there are dancing women in straw hats). 

I suppose this got me thinking...imagine if the elections in the US were like this: campaigns only a few weeks long and more money spent on things that really matter than negative TV ads, years worth of buttons and countless yard signs. Now don't get me wrong, I think our debates and town meetings are important, but when did the length and spending get so out of hand?  I suppose campaigning years in advance seems a little more necessary when you think about lesser known candidates wanting to rise from the unknown (ie Paul Wellstone and even Barack Obama), but still, as I said earlier, the amount of money spent is selfish and wasteful. Like many things I'm realizing about the US, we've taken it wayyy too far.

On another note, many of my teachers explained that the younger Korean generation is going to step up and vote in this election for the first time.  Apparently this has not happened in the past but with the tensions between North and South Korea high, they are deciding it is time for them to lend their voice to the situation--my teacher included. 

All of that being said, here is a video of some tough campaigning Aaron and I saw through a bus window the other day. :)