Back in the U.S.A.
Korea was amazing. I already posted pictures on facebook, but I thought I'd make them available here too. Jimin has a lot more, so I'm waiting for him to post his too.
Anyway, I don't know where to start about Korea. Many of the fascinations and frustrations that I found in China can also be found in Korea, but it's much more modern and comfortable--which also means it's much more expensive. But the company took care of that part, thankfully, so my new coworkers and I got to enjoy Korea in the most decadent way. We ate grilled meat every night, drank to our hearts' content and sometimes beyond, and stayed out way too late. We also played tourists and went to the DMZ, set foot in North Korea, and visited the obligatory temples and museums. The most culturally interesting part might have been the jimjilbang, a full-service, 24-hour spa with about a dozen different saunas, hot and cold, dry and wet, and a big communal resting area. Couples and whole families go there to spend the night, so if you come in late, you have to take care not to step on the other customers who are sprawled out, sleeping on the floor.
In short, my month in Seoul encapsulated all the reasons why I think living in big cities in Asia is fun and exciting and living in most places in America is boring. In Seoul, there is always something to do, and always an easy way to get there and do it.
The vessel tour might have been the best part though--watching as a 300 meter-long ship berths and the crane operators removes and replace the containers one-by-one is a fascinating experience. We even got to play with the navigational equipment a little bit.
Anyway, I'm in New Jersey at company headquarters for the next couple of weeks, and then I'm moving to the Chicago office for ten more months, to work in the inside sales and booking teams. After some serious on-the-job training, I'll be taking off again next summer for somewhere in Asia--it seems like the biggest possibilities are Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Seoul, and Singapore, more or less in that order. I can't wait, but in the meantime, it will be nice to settle down in Chicago for a while. I'll be taking more Korean lessons, and there's also a great judo club a few blocks from where I'll be living, so I think I'll be able to keep myself busy.
Anyway, I don't know where to start about Korea. Many of the fascinations and frustrations that I found in China can also be found in Korea, but it's much more modern and comfortable--which also means it's much more expensive. But the company took care of that part, thankfully, so my new coworkers and I got to enjoy Korea in the most decadent way. We ate grilled meat every night, drank to our hearts' content and sometimes beyond, and stayed out way too late. We also played tourists and went to the DMZ, set foot in North Korea, and visited the obligatory temples and museums. The most culturally interesting part might have been the jimjilbang, a full-service, 24-hour spa with about a dozen different saunas, hot and cold, dry and wet, and a big communal resting area. Couples and whole families go there to spend the night, so if you come in late, you have to take care not to step on the other customers who are sprawled out, sleeping on the floor.
In short, my month in Seoul encapsulated all the reasons why I think living in big cities in Asia is fun and exciting and living in most places in America is boring. In Seoul, there is always something to do, and always an easy way to get there and do it.
The vessel tour might have been the best part though--watching as a 300 meter-long ship berths and the crane operators removes and replace the containers one-by-one is a fascinating experience. We even got to play with the navigational equipment a little bit.
Anyway, I'm in New Jersey at company headquarters for the next couple of weeks, and then I'm moving to the Chicago office for ten more months, to work in the inside sales and booking teams. After some serious on-the-job training, I'll be taking off again next summer for somewhere in Asia--it seems like the biggest possibilities are Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Seoul, and Singapore, more or less in that order. I can't wait, but in the meantime, it will be nice to settle down in Chicago for a while. I'll be taking more Korean lessons, and there's also a great judo club a few blocks from where I'll be living, so I think I'll be able to keep myself busy.