Highlights

Hi everyone,

Highlights from this week include:

-Rotary meeting and visits
-Visit to an all boys high school and math class (Thankfully, Mike understood the equations. The rest of us don't get it even when it is in English!)
-Acupuncture
-Herbal medicine market
-Visit to the traditional market
-A visit to LG (If anyone has a spare $60,000 there is a gold plated 71 inch entertainment center available. Apparently the top market is the super-rich of the Middle East. They also have Swarovski crystal decorated kitchen appliances. Fridge bling, I love it. There is a new 15 inch featherweight TV that you can pick up and carry around with you. We also saw the brand new 3D television. UNBELIEVABLE.)
-A visit to Youngdo Velvet Factory. One of the top producers and the #1 in quality color.
-Several Buddhist temples
-Visit to an enormous high-tech dental complex
-Nokdong Confucian Academy
-Korea Investment Center
-Traditional Korean homes including the childhood home of the Rotary International president
-Lark Son Restaurant and Wine Bar where the classically trained (In Italy) owner performed for us with a beautiful tenor voice following our meal.
-Pottery factory
-Goryeong Daegaya Experience Festival
-Arboretum
-Cheodong Bullfighting Opening Ceremony (Not as bad as it sounds, but I am pretty sure that PETA would not approve- bullfighting is apparently illegal here except for once a year. Appearance on the Jumbotron)
-A VIP visit to see the Samsung Lions baseball team (Appearance on the Jumbotron)
-We saw "The Air I Breathe" which is a movie directed by a Korean which features several U.S. Hollywood actors/actresses. We all enjoyed it and would recommend that you check it out.

With the exception of a few "bad Stix days" we are all improving in our Chopsticks abilities. You know that you are getting good when you can handle noodles, beans, and tofu in soup. We have had PLENTY to eat (picture more than 20 dishes per table of 3) and we have had: octopus, squid, assorted intestines, oysters, ginseng juice, sea cucumber, duck, tons of hot peppers-garlic-bean paste-and onions, pear soju (kind of like whisky), rose-flavored gum, and more others then I can mention here. Everyone has been really troopers about trying new things.

We are all adjusting to having soju shots with our lunch and dinner. The rule is that the first shot everyone drinks the full shot, and the following shots can be sipped. If you empty your glass, it will be refilled! So far there has been no soju for breakfast, but it is only week two. :)

Our host families and the local Rotary members continue to be warm and welcoming and we are all feeling at home here. We are enjoying our new little/big brothers/sisters and are quickly welcomed into the family. Mike's "little brother" even fell asleep on Mike's bed while waiting for him to come home! Every day is a new cultural experience and we are learning so much. There is no question that we were all blessed to be given this opportunity.