details i've failed to mention

on any given busy street, there are carnival aspects- like a few "grab the prize" games, some dart throwing games, some test-your-strength games... some manned, some coin operated, and next to some games you'll find a little shop where you can use your winnings to buy giant stuffed animals or silly jewelry.... or giant combs, what have you.

'street vendors' often set up their booths featuring a small selection of hot food, surrounded by a small plastic tent, and there are up to four small stools inside, so you can enjoy your street snack away from the crowd.

now and then, there is samuri-movie-soundtrack style music playing over a loudspeaker that you can hear faintly anywhere in the city. i hope to see some ninja murders or cowboy showdown at some point...

gwangju is nestled in mountains, and there is a bus... bus 1187, which we can easily hop on by our house. it will drive us halfway up a nearby mountain and drop us off at a hiking trail. all along this hiking trail there are a variety of interesting little restaurants and cafes. oh, and it's spring... sounds like a good formula for a day off.

there is no shower stall in our bathrooms here, but rather a shower head attachment connected to the sink, and mounted above it. at first i was a bit put off, until i looked at it a little differently; we now have a giant shower stall that has a hand sink AND a toilet inside! mega convenience!

know those water dispensers with cold water and very hot water? got em. every-stinkin-where. so if you want hot tea or instant coffee while you wait or work in any building or restaurant- ta-da! presto!

saw in a window a t-shirt that read: DIRTY BURGER

those cool students i mentioned? yeah, they give a polite head bow when we cross paths in the stairwell. a bow.

all that stuff we read about people dressing very nice at schools... turns out to not apply at our particular place. most teachers wear jeans. the clothes i packed and wear daily look fancy and rich to the students... they don't believe me when i say i'm not rich, in fact. ah, well

there is pizza here, but corn is a standard topping and the fancier pizza tastes a lot like pizza hut...

cute little dogs and some raggedy cats roam the streets and survive well off of garbage.

recycling is standard here- everywhere and anywhere, expect to recycle.

um.............. very tired now... more later.