Everything New is Old Again

       It seems that despite these new circumstances, locations, and routines, I can't escape some familiarities of the life I once knew. Case-in-point, Busan experiencing Typhoon Bolaven (which is the Pacific Ocean's rendition of a hurricane), the first in oh so many years and Tropical Storm Tembin. So I relied on my wealth of exposure gathered from Andrew to Opal, from Georges to Isadore, from Katrina to Rita to Gustav.

       Naturally, I had to venture to the beach…me and maybe 30 Koreans who stayed a half a mile away from the ocean in an attempt to video the largest waves they've ever seen. Keep in mind this is the same beach that only 4 weeks ago reportedly had 750,000 people on it, and it is not even peak season anymore. This is surely the most popular beach on the entire Korean peninsula. Meanwhile, I'm running through the sand barefoot, camera in hand.

       After taking a few photographs and getting blindsided by a wave while looking through the camera’s viewfinder, two lifeguards asked that I back away from the water and retreat to a safer distance. Later, in keeping with the tradition of emptying your freezer and eating buffet-style with your neighbors (for fear of losing power and having all of your food go to waste), there was a vast Korean meal savored with friends.

       While I currently go through the storms of the Far East, Hurricane Isaac is flooding New Orleans with its own torrential rainfall and winds. Funny how symmetry works, even 7,293 miles apart.

A long exposure taken during Hurricane Gustav without electricity

The earth beneath my feet

      Last week, Busan received rain Monday through Friday. With impecable timing, the clouds have opened to let rays of sunshine flood the skies for the weekend. Perhaps this is the proverbial "calm before the storm" which is now a category 4 projected to make landfall late Monday or early Tuesday. So with the "no time like the present" mindset (which I normally don't subscribe to, I'm much more of the "why do today what can be put off until tomorrow" thanks to my mother) I set out to photograph what putting a few miles under my feet looks like in Busan.

A chili plant and its ripe, picked peppers set out to dry

Busan towards the East

      This is the Nakdong River, South Korea's longest, entering the ocean to the left.  These three identical towers are one's view from the river looking towards the South.  The riverbank and bay are lined with these quad-tipped pillars cast from concrete.  I've seen these exact things used before in Corsica, a tiny island off the coast of France and Italy in the Mediterranean Sea.  Funny how effective discoveries are shared by humanity.  Here, just like in Corsica, fishermen scatter themselves throughout the interlocking pillars in hopes of providing a meal for their families.

      

      The Gwangan Bridge connects Busan from East to West where the Nakdong river meets the East Sea (do NOT refer to it as the Sea of Japan here, you will surely start a heated cultural debate).  This is a two-story bridge with the top story going Westbound and the bottom story heading Eastbound.

Row after row of rather dilapidated apartment buildings

Familiar Circumstances

             It only seems fair that with all Korea has taught me about the Orient and its customs, cultures, and traditions and has given me in life experiences that I reciprocate whenever possible.  Well, it appears that I may have just that opportunity.

             As of this writing, South Korea is currently staring down the barrel of Typhoon Bolaven, presently a category 3 storm project to reach level 4 by tomorrow.  The good news, for those who do not know, is that hurricanes can't sustain such a powerful level for very long before collapsing in on themselves.  Landfall is project for Monday as a category 3 which is still quite an impressive storm and unfortunately Busan will be on the East side of the eye (the stronger part of storm).

             Although I’m no longer residing in southern Louisiana it’s no excuse to not keep with tradition.  It's my duty… nay, privilege…as a good ol' boy from the South to educate Koreans on the time-honored tradition that is the hurricane party.  While supplies such as batteries, candles, and jugs of water are readily available, they do seem short on the essentials.  I can’t seem to find shrimp boots, a pirogue, Budweiser, and Crown Royal anywhere.  No problem, I'll make due.

             Koreans in Busan are no strangers to the rain during the months of July and August.  This is the rainy season and living on the coast exposes the city to numerous squalls.  They are, in turn, well-equipped with designer rain boots but it doesn’t appear that anyone subscribes to Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous theory of form following function, which may be why shrimp or hip boots are scarce. 

             As a mode of transportation through newly flooded, once dry land, nothing beats a pirogue.  Believe it or not these are also scant.  I’ll continue to search but if it doesn’t prove fruitful I may have to resort to one of these…

             Without Bud or Crown to fuel the decision making during the hurricane party, one might wonder, “How are you ever to survive?”  This will have to be the experiment to see how Sapporo beer and of course, Soju work in aiding attending partiers.

             There will be no need to find higher ground as I am on the 4 floor of my apartment complex.  If need be, I’ll make my way onto the roof.  All that’s left to find is soap and as many yards of Visqueen as possible for the slip-n-slide I intend to unroll in the courtyard of the university I live near.  And a skimboard.

So this is Christmas

      After sneaking a peek at the Worwick Franklin school calendar, it has come to my attention that I have winter break from December 22nd until the 1st of January but I won't be able to enjoy it thanks to the damn Mayans and I can't wait to cherish every moment of it.  I feel like this is an early enough forewarning that not only should you be able to save some money,  you should also be able to apply for a passport if you do not already have one and come visit me.  If the food, people, landscape, and free place to stay isn't enough incentive, I'll continue writing here in an attempt to coerce a friend or family member by December, starting now...

Need I say more?

My First Week - A Retrospective Part IV

The Different

      This entry could be titled the odd, the peculiar, the strange or the weird. I don’t want it to seem like I’m placing any negative emphasis on it however, so here a just a few things that I’ve noticed during my first week which are different than back home.

      Koreans brush their teeth after every meal. At the conclusion of lunch the entire school, including our Korean teachers, brushes their collective teeth at the 1 foot high horse trough, of course with their coffee-flavored toothpaste. Even the Caucasian siblings Caleb and Arielle.

      There are closed circuit security cameras everywhere. On the streets, at any entrance and exit, in each building’s stairwells, even in the classrooms…all of them. Mine included. If I stop and think about it, it seems a little Orwellian and I become paranoid.

      At water coolers there are the Korean equivalent of paper cups, little paper pockets, to drink your water from. These are literally the tiny paper equivalent of the back pocket on your pants. Very cool.

      Most apartments, stores, and restaurants have air-conditioning, thankfully. However, Koreans believe that it is terrible for your health to be in a room exposed to what they call “air con” for any extended period of time. If you leave the room, you turn your air con off. If you're going to sleep, you set it on a one hour timer. If not, you could die in your sleep by having all of the oxygen sucked out of your room.

      I get so much enjoyment in discovering, experiencing, and learning these new tid-bits of knowledge. As long as I can continue to get something out of Busan, Busan will get something out of me.

My First Week - A Retrospective Part III

The Ugly

      I wish it weren’t so but unfortunately there is something ugly about Busan - the litter. The streets and alleys are disordered with scraps of paper, forgotten plastic wrappers, abandoned cans and cups, and sludge. Now if you’ve ever seen Lutry in the south of Switzerland, then you’ve experienced a city at its most pristine. This, is not…but I’ve got to imagine that most places aren’t so I won’t hold that against Busan. I know New Orleans isn’t the most immaculate city. I’m simply knit-picking for the sake of having something to write about. 

      The next entry will be a special edition to our list of the good, the bad, and the ugly…the different!

My First Week - A Retrospective Part II

The Bad

As promised, here’s the continuation of the smell. Although you’ll encounter some delicious aromas while walking the streets, you will unfortunately also stumble upon numerous spots of nauseating odor. There are open drains along most streets which funnel what can only be sewer water. Passing in the vicinity of these areas will, without a doubt, let you know you’re near a drain even with closed eyes. It’s almost heartbreaking to follow your nose towards a delicious, mouth-water scent only to be smacked in the face by an open drain near a restaurant.

There is no way, by any stretch of the imagination, that Korean driving can be placed anywhere other than the bad list. You know how when the right lane is closed up ahead and there are signs warning you of this so everyone moves to the left lane but there’s still that one ass who drives in the right lane all the way until the sign blocks them and they force their way into the left lane ahead of everyone else? Every Korean driver is that ass. They don’t mean to be but they are. Koreans want to turn, weasel, maneuver, and squeeze their vehicle into any and every possible spot. And this not only goes for cars; it also applies to motorcycles, scooters, bikes…hell, even the way they walk. If the subway or train wasn’t on a track, I’m sure it’d be the same too. Koreans love using their horns and it’s said that the lane markings on the roads are merely a suggestion.

A great deal of Korean men smoke. It's mostly young men and I can only imagine the rate of lung related illnesses now and in the future.

That’s my only bad observations for now, but I will leave you with an honorable mention “this could be a bad thing in a few years.” Busan is developing at break-neck speed. Everything is in a constant state of construction which to some, say a contractor or business man, would appear beneficial. Here’s my only concern with that though; Busan is not Seoul. While there are about 4 million people residing here, that pales in comparison to the 10 or so million that inhabit Seoul. There are no homeless people, there doesn’t seem to be an influx of people trying to move into Busan, and it doesn’t appear that families are looking to experiment with Western living by finding an apartment with more than one room. At some point the law of diminishing returns will take effect and there will be more highly priced, new apartments than people and families willing to move in (there probably already is). So what’s to happen to the hundreds of thousands of empty apartments?

Please stay tuned for the third installment of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I believe the Doobie Bros. proclaimed that music is the doctor

      Taking a momentary break from the good, the bad, and the ugly, I just wanted it to be known that I couldn't say there aren't things that I miss or desire without it being a lie.  While I am having a great time as of now, there are certain things that seem worlds away that I wish weren't.  Emotions, foods, tactile sensations, sights, and of course specific people.  Well one of those voids has been filled and this makes me content for tonight.

My First Week - A Retrospective Part I

      First of all, I'd like to wish a happy Independence Day to all of South Korea.  Everyone has the day off from school and work although I'll have to go in.  It's only for a little while though and I get to arrive late, leave early, and I think my director is treating everyone to a late lunch afterwards.
      So after logging in 7 days in Busan, it only seemed natural to reflect on the week that has past. I’m beginning to learn a great deal about the customs and traditions and how those factor into my initial impressions of this Far East city. So without further adieu, I bring you the good, the bad, and the ugly in a 3 part series.

The Good

      Busan is a large city with an incredible landscape. It sprawls across the foots of smaller mountains (huge by Louisiana standards) and is separated into the East and West by a dividing river flushing into the East Sea. The beach is comprised of fine grain amber-colored sand and small islands lie off its coast. A salty breeze is constantly blowing preventing the temperature and humidity from reaching unbearable levels (like back home). The Oriental architecture is a gorgeous addition to this landscape. Traditional roofs and tiles are used along with columns and railings to construct pagoda-like structures paying homage to the past. It’s not only evident in the neighborhoods but everywhere from the restaurants to the university’s campus to the parks.

      The people here are beautiful, inside and out. Not only do handsome men and attractive women walk the streets all day, they’re also out at all hours of the night. That’s the beauty of being beautiful; every moment is safe and there seems to be no off-hour for general respect. While eating at a restaurant last week, I left and went to a convenient store on the way to a friend’s apartment. While in the store I was found by the waiter from the restaurant who had my sunglasses, which I forgot on the table. I was already down the street and in another store mind you. That’s impressive to me – a true sense of humanity.

      Public Transportation is a phenomenal invention. Let me preface this by saying I know that public transportation exists in the States, even in New Orleans, but this is more than a streetcar and the longest that I’ve been exposed to it as a permanent fixture in my life. There are buses that constantly run on the streets, trains that tunnel underground in the subway, and the high speed KTX which can travel from Busan to Seoul in 2 hours and 45 minutes at nearly 300 mph.

      Then there’s the food which I’ve already publicly proclaimed my love for. The taste, the variety, the spice, and the price. This leads us into our last thing.

      The smell* of the city. When walking by street vendors or bar-be-ques your nostrils are oh so pleasantly greeted with the charred aroma of meat on an open grill or the tingle of freshly ground spices. Deep fryers with tempura battered shrimp or chicken are also worked hard enough to have their smell permeate through restaurants and into the night air.

      As of now, these are the notable things that give me pleasure on a daily basis out here in Busan. Stay tuned for Part II – The Bad.

*This thought will be continued in Part II

The First of Seven Deadly Sins - Gluttony

      Welcome to the Korean cuisine critique. Here you'll find ample spice, an equal amount of kimchi, and ever-flowing soju. I hope you'll enjoy and 맛있게 드세요.

      As much as I couldn't believe it when I heard that you can eat out every meal of every day and it'd be cheaper than buying groceries, it seems to be true. Any meal of an abundant portion will range from $4 to $7 with an insane amount of food for 2 people going for $11. I took the glutonous route earlier today and ordered a meal which consisted of the following: a bowl of soup, an even larger bowl of a different soup with long, thick, hearty noodles and crab meat, another large bowl of stir-fried rice, pork, and vegetables topped with a raw quail egg yolk, a triangular rice cake stuffed with a fish fillet and wrapped in seaweed, another rice cake stuffed with dried fish fry wrapped in seaweed, and a drink. All for $11. To put that into perspective, I walked a mile to the store 3 nights ago and bought a fist-sized piece of red meat for $8, proceeded to walk back home only to cook it without any seasoning. Nowhere near as good for the substantial amount of effort. The most interesting part of the aforementioned meal was the rice cake stuffed with fish fry...not fish fry like the Zatarain's that we batter fish fillets in back home, but fish fry as in baby fish larvae. There were millions of them, none larger than the graphite tip on a pencil but they were all dried and dehydrated, glazed with slightly sweet flavor. That taste mixed with the salty brine of the fish themselves makes for an interesting and wonderful zest. I ate a juvenile squid on Friday dried and prepared in this same manner. It's a popular children's snack that can be picked up in any one of the thousands of convenient stores around Busan. I suppose it's akin to beef jerky in the States.

      Kimchi – the unofficial (and probably official) dish of South Korea. The stem of Asian cabbage is sliced into bite-sized pieces, mixed with numerous spices and a variety of sauces, then set aside to ferment and pickle. For how long? A week or two should do it but I've heard it'll keep for as long as 6 to 12 months. Does it taste bad? Not really. Does it taste good? Not really.

      As for table manners...Koreans have completely abhorrent manners by Western standards. Good thing we don't live in the States though! It's actually nice to live in a place where you can make a slight mess with your food, use your hands, and slurp up last drops. It makes me feel like I stand out less when struggling with chopsticks, spilling rice grains, or dripping soup.

      If nothing above whets your appetite, you can always eat here when you come to visit me.

      One last observation; the Korean love for onions may just rival that of any Cajun's.  I'll leave you with a photo of a simple meal that I prepared this past week. It's some species of fish with some species of mushroom with broccoli and cherry tomatoes. It doesn't even cover an average dinner plate and is about $16 worth of groceries plus the trip to and fro and the cooking. Thank Buddha for the restaurants around here!

      And at the request of two fans critics, you may have noticed a few changes to the blog.

Making Groceries (and other random musings)

     I’m sure this will be the first of many stream of consciousness blogs that I write during my time in Korea. Things move along so rapidly during these early days that it seems the only way to keep up with them is to mentally regurgitate my thoughts onto this screen. These are sure to be a collection of my thoughts, likes, dislikes, observations, and questions while here...

     The cicadas are a deafening yet comforting reminder of the back of Wade Street. Not even the hustle and bustle of the city in the evening can drown them out in certain areas.

     Coffee reigns supreme in Korea. There is a coffee shop on every street corner, easily rivaling Seattle, Washington. As I’ve shown before, there is even a coffee house sharing space with a Christian church within walking distance of my apartment. Coffee is the dessert of choice here and the number one selling toothpaste flavor is… you guessed it, coffee!

     My nights are spent with 6 foreign co-teachers, both American and Canadian, waxing philosophically at Korean bar-be-que restaurants over a small fire on the table contained by bricks. Cigarettes are smoked, oriental beer is passed around in cups only slightly larger than shot glasses, and ribs sizzle across the metal grating. Although the food and drinks are inexpensive, the moments are valuable. They seem to be a great crowd so far, very welcoming and very interesting. Perhaps there’s some intangible bond between us because for one reason or another, we all ended up in Korea.

     Young fashionable Korean guys are easily spotted due to their pants ending 4 or 5 inches above their ankles. Young Korean women have an affinity for wearing the shortest shorts they can find coupled with their sexiest shoes. While this is perfectly acceptable in the culture, women who expose their shoulders or wear something too low cut will draw the ire of the elder generation. Thick-rimmed glasses have both male and female fans, with and without lenses.

     Although I work very long hours at school, there are certain things that ease the length of the days. First and absolutely foremost is that I spend all day barefoot or in socks. If you know anything about me at all, you’ll know that that is worth its weight in gold to me.

We made a robot.

     Our largest local grocery store is Mega Mart which is comparable to Wal-Mart or Sam’s back home. The difference lies in the fact that inside there are vendors cooking and yelling to get your attention in hopes that you’ll try a sample of what they have to offer. And of course there are delicacies that we just don’t get to experience in the West.

Squid

Octopus

Cuttlefish

Sea Snails

Wild Bird Eggs

Back to school, back to school...

      Maple. Zion. Smiley. Speed. You're probably thinking, "He must've had a stroke!" Actually, I'm fine, thank you. I'm simply calling role in my classrom. Yes, these are literally the names of some of my students. Apparently the students can get creative when choosing their English names. I can't blame them, I'd have done the same. I also have students with typical Korean names such as Miyool, Dowon, and Jun Yeoung. And then there's Caleb and his older sister Arielle. They only slightly stick out.

     There are oh so many ways that Korean school differs from American school – some seem like welcome changes while others would be utterly preposterous in the States. All of my students are extremely smart. I have 7 year olds that are reading better than kids in the States do at that age. And this is not their native language, it's their second or third! Pretty impressive. Oh, and one thing about age - Koreans are 1 year old when they are born, not 0 like back in America. They also don't age on the date of their birth, they age on January 1st of each year. So my 7 year olds are actually 6 year olds which makes their reading skills all the more impressive.

     In between each class periods, the students have a 10 minute break to release some energy and move around. As of right now, I'm intruiged by this idea. It seems like it would help the monotony of what could possibly be a 12 hour day of school for some students. What I've observed however is that the children run around like maniacal animals jumping, climbing, and balancing on any and everything while the Korean teachers just walk through the chaos in the hall. Any school nurse, or medical insurance company for that fact, would be absolutely appauled during these 10 minutes. It seems to be perfectly acceptable behavior though and after a minute or two, the students actually do calm down for the most part so that the next period can begin.

     "Wow, that is different and slightly odd" you must be thinking, "but to claim some things are 'utterly preposterous' is very bold." Oh ye of little faith! Example #1...there is no door to our school's bathroom, you just walk into one of two open rooms divided by a wall. One for the boys and one for the girls. The boys room has 2 urinals, one large and one small, and a toilet in a stall. This bathroom is for both the students and I. So it's completely acceptable for Dowon and myself to stand side-by-side at the urinals. I think I'll stick with locking myself in the stall...it's humorous how I'm the one acting like a frightened little child. As for washing your hands afterwards, there is a horse trough with a few faucets in it. That's different but fine. What isn't fine however is that it's 1 foot from the ground. Perfect for Caleb who is 3 years old, not perfect for a 6 foot 1 inch monster like myself. Example #2...I just missed arriving in time for our school's field trip to a public pool. After the swimming session, all of the boys and girls went into their respective locker room shared by everyone. It's the teacher's duty to make sure the students shower, dry them off, and get them dressed. I think I'll sit this out with the other American male teacher Mike.

     While I have much more I can write about, I'll leave you for now with a photographic tour of the school as well as questions from the students on my first day.

"Teacher, what are you?"

"Teacher, what is your name?"

"My name is Ryan."

"Lion! That's an animal!" (hilarious laughter ensued)

"Ryan teacher, Ryan teacher! What is neutered?"

Song of the day - "My Town" by Armor for Sleep

      After waking up from my first night in my new home and looking out the window at beautiful blue skies, I decided that today would be a great day to get lost. Success!

    The good news is not only did I make it back home, I captured a few photos along the way. So far it's been an incredible experience observing Korean customs, traditions, cuisine, architecture, and the like. More on this to come.

     It is my understanding that I live in the village of Daeyeon-Dong, in the neighborhood of Nam-Gu, in the city of Busan, in the country of South Korea. It's probably what comes to your mind when conjuring up ideas of small, dirty, aged Oriental neighboorhoods mixed with a drive and passion for constant modernization and a desire to feel contemporary. Elements of both can be seen side-by-side starkly contrasting one another as soon as I walk out of my building.

Beautiful granite walls, polished marble columns, keyless entry into steel and glass sliding doors.

     The stereotypical hustle and bustle of any Asian city is clearly evident even at the most laxed point on a way too hot, lazy Sunday.

     Right around the corner from where I live, my ears are greeted with blaring Korean pop music known here by the kids (who are rabid fans of) as K-Pop.  Despite not being open on a Sunday, HELLO KITTY decided that it's absolutely necessary to provide musical entertainment to the masses.

     Koreans are fanatical when it comes to coffee.  All types too...hot, iced, mochas, espressos, lattes.  It's their dessert.  And the numbers and placements of coffee shops can only be rivaled by Seattle, Washington. 

How's the old saying go?

Coffee is better with your Jesus or Jesus is better with your coffee?

Minority Report and Home Sweet Home

     When we last left off, I was waiting to board my international flight from LAX to Incheon International Airport outside of Seoul, South Korea. This flight left on time (for once) at 12:20am with me aboard clearly as a minority. Fast forward 12 ½ hours and I step foot for the first time on the Asian continent waiting 2 ½ hours until my flight from Seoul to my new home, Busan. The thought of me being a minority when I was 1 of 15 non-Asians out of 350 is nothing compared to being the only non-Asian on the entire flight into Busan. Once I finally arrived – 4 days, 5 airplanes, 4 airports, 2 continents, and 1 car ride later – I stepped foot into my apartment, home for the next year.

     By all Western standards, it is a very small place...but it suits the minimalist in me. It should help me to learn the art of dispossession. From my front door, you enter a small room used to remove your shoes out of respect in typical Korean fashion before entering another's home.

     Don't be a heathen!

     My living/sleeping quarters are separated from the entry room by sliding frosted glass doors decorated with bamboo and mountains.  The room comes equipped with numerous shelves for storage, a full-sized bed, and a wardrobe closet.

     From there, the kitchen is located behind another set of sliding glass doors and has a refrigerator/freezer, a dual burner gas stove, a sink, and a washing machine (which again, is extremely small by Western standards).

     The bathroom is the final room to this Asian abode. Entire bathrooms in Korea are used as shower stalls. The waterline runs in at my bathroom sink which not only has a faucet but also a shower head. Strange, I know...but Koreans probably think you're weird for having your shower segregated and in a stall.

     You've probably noticed my phenomenal wallpaper in the background of my photos and that's completely accurate, it is indeed phenomenal.

Go west young man...

     Guess what? I finally made it to Los Angeles...with my bags! I was unable to cast a plea upon 2 less than enthusiastic security guards but was timely visited by an angel who took the form of the only helpful person working for American Airlines. Just a quick 40 mins later and my 2 bags were found. Unfortunately all of this took place AFTER my originally scheduled 10:00am flight. So I once again rode the "change your whole plan" caroussel that is the Chicago airport and was able to get a flight to LA for 2:00. Now that I'm here, I have about 8 hours to kill before my 12:20am flight to Seoul, South Korea takes off (if THAT doesn't change as well).

     So what does one do for 8 hours at LAX you ask? You lay on the floor in a dark corner and watch no less than 75 Asian children between the ages of 9 and 13 run around and jump over your limp, extended body. None of their parents nor the TSA seem to mind.

So I left Luling to teach English in Busan, South Korea

     You know that feeling of anxiety and extreme nerves that you experience when you decide to move...and not just to a different neighborhood or town but maybe a different state, country, or even continent? But fears are soon set aside and you're comforted by a safe, smooth flight, easy transfers, and a warm welcome to your new residence.

     You first set your eyes on this strange, unfamiliar world and try to imagine calling it and not your previous small, southern Louisiana town home. You drink in this new landscape only to mentally contrast it to everything you once knew.

     Taking the first walk down your apartment's hallway attempting to find the front door that will house you for the next year, your mind and heart race with eager anticipation. 

     And once found, you open your front door to discover a gorgeous, very contemporary abode and are plesantly surprised. You're immediately greeted on your right by a giant frosted glass bathroom door shielding you from an almost futuristic bathroom.

     Maybe you're interupting me at this moment to say, "Hey! Your blog's background picture looks incredible but nothing like that landscape you're showing us. That actually looks a whole lot like Chicago, Illinois." And to that I'd say, "You didn't let me finish! The feeling that I was describing above...yeah, I don't know that feeling at all because it's impossible for me to go out in the world without the powers that be afflicting me with Murphy's Law at every possible opportunity!" So now I'm stuck in Chicago because my New Orleans flight was delayed and I was too late to be let on to my connecting flight to Seoul, South Korea. I'll spare you the hours spent riding the airport tram 4 times back and forth for miles only to be repeatedly denied help from both American Airlines and Asiana Airlines and just tell you that it ends with me on a phone borrowed from a stranger (since I no longer have one) with customer service for an hour.  I had to start over and purchase my own ticket to Busan, South Korea instead of being able to take the way too easy route on a free flight given to me. Oh yeah, nobody knows where my 2 checked bags are either. So instead, I've entertained you with photos of the lackluster Chicago skyline and my hotel.

     Disgusted?  Exhausted?  Disappointed?  Exasperated?  Fully expecting something like this to happen?  All of the above???