Something I forgot to say about yesterday, Elina told me her uncle would be happy to have me when they do their annual Kimchi making thing in November!!! Very exciting.

Ok today, I woke up and had to go switch one of my classes that was at the same time as the other and I switched into Chinese Politics EXCEPT I JUST LOOKED AT MY SCHEDULE AGAIN AND THEY PUT ME IN A DIFFERENT CLASS WHICH IS A COMPLETE FAIL BECAUSE THEY KEEP SCHEDULING ME FOR STUPID CLASSES THAT ARE THE SAME TIME AS MY OTHER CLASSES AND THIS CLASS ISNT EVEN IN ENGLISH!! AHHHHH SO ANNOYING. so I have to change that AGAIN before my classes tomorrow.

My classes today were very good. After I switched into Chinese Politics I ran to the class because I would have made it just in time except that it was cancelled and until Wednesday which is fine since I wasn't even OFFICIALLY IN THE CLASS AT THE TIME ANYWAY BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I SPECIFICALLY WROTE THE CLASS NUMBER NAME AND SECTION THEY STILL FAILED TO BE ABLE TO SWITCH ME but anyway. Then I went to starbucks because it was close and my back hurt from all the walking and I sat and read Mr. Darcy, Vampyre. Which is very good so far. Then I went and got an agenda for my classes then I got lunch which was not very good because it was pizza and garlic bread on a pastry/sugar coated piece of bread. ew. I ate the garlic bread but I just couldn't eat the pizza. Then Fredrico saw me at the corner that I was crossing and said that he had to walk to change his classes and if I knew where Korean 1 was so I walked him to the building where it was and there was a large group of us who couldn't find the class we were supposed to be in so I stood around with a bunch of people and met a boy from Canada named Kirk who goes to Queens and I told him about how I know people in Canada north of Toronto and he says he lives close to where they do which is cool. Then we sat down in a huge auditorium where they split us up into 4 different classes and I'm in the same class as Milda, Caitlyn and Barbara (Barbara is studying in Holland and is Caitlyn from Ohio State's roommate). We only had a little bit of class but the teacher told us everything will be in Korean so that is going to be very very funny.

Barbara is in my International Organizations class so we walked there together and the teacher reminds me a lot of my International Politics teacher, who was the one who wrote me a recommendation for here. The teacher is strict but funny and also I think very smart. I'm excited to learn more. He talks about the United States a lot and he kept calling on the few International Students in the class I believe looking for someone from America but he didn't find anyone and he never called on me so he can find out that Im American later.

I walked back to my room and did laundry then Milda and I went to some Korean resturant or maybe it was Japanese they all taste weird I just point to a picture and eat whatever and I don't even know what it is (but I DO know it isn't dog because I actually know the korean word for dog) then we went to Baskin Robins for ice cream and walked back where I found out that I HAVE TO GO SWITCH MY CLASSES AGAIN. but really its fine im totally cool with that.

grrrr.

Today was AMAZING. woke up and had a muffin and some coffee that I had bought the night before for breakfast and read until 1:15 then got ready to go out with Elina. She and I met at Anam subway station where we then went to Gyeongbokgun the biggest palace in Seoul, right next to a beautiful mountain (they always build their main government buildings next to a mountain because it represents power). The palace was right next to the Korean Folk Museum and it was very nice to walk around the grounds, we saw some really big fishsome the size of my arm in one of the ponds. Then we went for a walk to get lunch at a place called Kraze Burger (They call it Kraze burger because apparently it is a mix of the word Korean and Crazy.) It was very nice to have a burger and fries after a week of Korean food. Then we walked to a river that they just restored because it had been so populated and there is a great path right next to it that we walked along and saw some Korean mimes doing dancing and fooling around. We sat by the river and talked then kept walking to go to a department store so Elina could buy new shoes so we walked up to the street and heard some traditional Korean music and followed it to watch a band for a while. Then we got on a subway and went to myeongdong a shopping center. We went into a really nice department store and it was great to look around. Something I realised this week was that when they play American songs they dont play the censured version so it is really weird to be walking around a nice department store and hearing the f bomb drop and looking around to see if anyone else noticed. nope just me. We were tired of all the walking so we decided to go home, I met Milda for dinner at Italian Plates which was nice then we walked back.

School starts tomorrow ah! I have to change one of my classes because it conflicts with another one, so before class tomorrow I think I will do that. My first class starts at 2pm. very very exciting!

Ok, yesterday was fun. I made it food day, that ment that I ate whatever I wanted that I saw and it was great. First we went to the Uni-store and I got school supplies and I also got a towel because I was tired of using one of my dresses as a towel. It's kind of nice taking a shower with a towel after not having one for a while but anyway it's maroon and it says Korea University in english and Korean in gold and there is a gold tiger head. baller. Then I decided I wanted to try some food at one of the little food places and it was fried stuff and you point to what you want and I had some fried patatos and a fried rice dumpling. Milda got soem fried vegetable thing that I had some of and all of it was very good and only for 2000won!!! (less than $2!) Then we went to a bakery and it was great I had two cookies for 1000 won and they had lots and lots of really good looking stuff *cough mom cough* Then Milda got a strawberry smoothie for 1000 won and then we went on the subway to go to the movie theatre where we went the wrong way down the street to it and so we walked into a mac store to get directions and they were playing IN YOUR ATMOSPHERE BY JOHN MAYER. everyone I've asked here doesn'tknow who he is and in your atmosphere isnt even a popular song. it was great. Then we went to the movie theater and met with a boy named Frederico from Italy and he had a girl named Sophia with him but she didn't stay for the movie but seemed very nice. We saw Public Enemy. Going to the movies in Korea is interesting because they assign you a seat in the theatre and also there isn't any coming attractions which is kind of sad for me because I like those. It was funny when I was giving the lady my ticket to show that I bought one for the show because I accidentally gave her my ticket to the Jason Mraz concert that I went to before Korea that was in my purse. I was the only one who thought that was funny. THEN we watched Public Enemies which was really really good and long but I didn't mind it. the movie started at 6:40 and we got out at like 9. THEN we went back to the room and went clubbing with Irina and her friend Sam from Ghana he was nice. We took a taxi there and it took like an hour but was only 14,800 won which I didn't think was so bad. We stayed out until like 3 then took a taxi back. It was funny watching all those Koreans going crazy over all these american songs. On the way back we passed by a lot of clubs and this building that when I looked at looked like a doll house because it showed all the different rooms in a house with a glass sheet over it and I thought it was some kind of perverted strip club because I saw bunk beds and young looking girls sitting around and I thought they were just on display but when I got closer I saw that they were all holding microphones and staring at a tv then I realized that it was a karaoke bar. Crazy koreans.

This morning I woke up at like 12 and read for a while then took a shower and walked down to "Tout les Jours" which sells like bread stuff and I really wanted a bagel but so far I haven't food any place that looks like it would sell a good bagel so I had a DONUT. crazy. and a strawberry smoothie. On my way back I bought a Korea Times because the headline was "Anti-Racism Law Proposed" and found out that the bill is the first legal attempt to to fight racism in South Korea which was interesting.

My plans for today include: Cleaning my room, setting up school supplies and reading. I also might go to a karaoke bar with a girl named Caitlyn from Ohio State and her friends.

Ah, my feet hurt! Milda and I went all around today and now I am exhausted. We went to some of the places that the woman from the Seoul Workshop said we should go to, the best by far was the last stop but it was also the most touristy but I got a really nice leather bag there and they were selling nice leather jackets for only 150000 won, less than $150 I'm really tempted to go back but for now I will try to stay content with the bag. I have been looking for boots but they all have such high heels and there is no way I can walk up and down that hill in teh snow in heels! Today was very busy so hopefully I will finally get a good nights rest!

woah did not know that there were comments this whole time, sorry! Korean beer is fine, I actually dont even know if it's korean I sort of dont think so but it is everywhere and is called Cass? I had never seen it before so I just bought it. No I'm not shorter than everyone I'm really very much in the middle all the girls are around my height so that's cool.

Milda and I are going sight seeing today! if it ever stops raining... and if she ever wakes up.

The Seoul city tour was so fun! first we went to the museum which was kind of boring but nice I guess it's kind of hard to pay attention when there are so many people around but it was really pretty and there were mountains in the background so that was cool. Then we ate yet another traditional Korean meal, we were at tables and sitting cross legged on the floor. A group of brittish boys were seated at the same table as us and listening to them talk was funny because they kept saying mate and brittish things and it was just amusing. Then we got to go outsite on the streets of Insadong which is a lot of vendors with nice cheap little things you can buy as gifts but also there were nice scarfs and jewelry, a lot of paper fans. We then went to the show Jump which was really good the martial arts were excellent and also the show was very funny. We had a great time but as we left it started pouring rain and that was a bummer so we had to walk far to the buses in pouring rain. Then we got off the buses back and Korea Uniersity and Milda went to go buy her phone so I walked back then it REALLY started pouring and I ducked into a shop to buy an umbrella and I also got a bag of chips then I also got a beer just because I felt like it so I bought my first legal beer in Korea today. Then I read on the balcony for a while it was nice because it was cooler since it was raining.

Some things I think everyone should know about Seoul so far:
1) Women where high heels all the time. and not just casual ones like evening wear ones with just plane tee shirts and jorts, very bizzare.
2) it is extremely hilly so I don't know how these girls can walk all over the place because I'm having problems and I consider myself to be in good shape and I am only wearing flip floops.
3) Cop cars have their lights on all the time so if you see flashing lights in your rear view mirror its not because youre getting pulled over its just that there is a cop behind you
4) Motorcycles can go anywhere. If you think you are safe on the sidewalk, you are wrong.

ok that's all!

Aurjourd'hui-
Started the day off with registering for our student ID card which will also act as a bank card for Hana Bank, the process of getting it is 4-5 weeks which is a long time but it will be nice to finally get one!
After that we had lunch and we asked many questions about traveling and different things about Seoul to Elina who was very nice and answered all the questions
Then we went to the starbucks in Tiger Plaza where I learned that Korea has the 1st or 2nd most expensive starbucks in the world (5,800 won for a tall mocha! which is about $5.80). After starbucks we went to the "Life in Seoul Workshop" where a young woman who grew up in Korea but has studied/lived in United States, Germany and Italy answered a lot of questions from us about good places to visit, shop and eat.
Then Milda and I registered for our classes and learned more about our Alien Registration card. After that we walked around the campus waiting for 4:30 to meet our buddies to go shopping and so we found that there were shops underneath central plaza where we had gone earlier and just saw a lawn of grass (it was really interesting underneath the school store was there and a phone company some resturants and an entrance to the business building and underground parking). We met with our buddies at around 4:15 then we split up and I got an adapter ! :-) then we went and I got a cell phone for about 60$ and an hour and a half of minutes for $30 (incoming calls are free, even from abroad). While waiting in the cell phone store I was educated a little bit in Korean pop music because it was playing over the speakers and there is a popular boy band called 2pm which I will have to check out. Hyungjung had to go home but then Elina and I went out and had some very good Japanese food then she walked back with me to CJ International House because she had never seen it before, she lives with her family in Seoul and we hung out with Milda for a while then I walked Elina to the door and got myself a coke from a vending machine.
I am really excited for tomorrow's trip into Seoul should be very busy and fun. Hopefully I can sleep tonight without waking up in the morning at 4:30 am...