more of the same

Hi everybody.

So.

How's the weather?

Cold enough for you?

I'm not trying to bore you. I feel like I have a responsibility to you all now. You have all been so kind as to follow my thoughts and travels. You've given me some great feedback and been very encouraging in my little adventure. I'm afraid that my life just isn't that exciting on a weekly basis.

I work. I come home. I do some work at home. I have a coffee or what passes for coffee. I eat. I sleep. Maybe I'll go grab a beer or something on the weekend. Perhaps find an event or place to check out, but for every colorful building or monument or mountain or ceremony that I have seen, I have seen 5,000 normal, everyday things, both good and bad.

I've seen a co-worker pretending to make herself busy as the vice principal walks by.

I've seen a man absentmindedly talking on his cell phone as he's trying to merge into traffic.

I've seen a 3 year old doing the "popsicle dance". You know the one. If you don't, go find yourself a 3 year old, hand them a popsicle, and watch what they do.

I've seen a smiling high school couple waiting to cross the street, so ecstatic and nervous to just be standing next to each other. (If someone was "selling" feelings, that's the one I'd buy.)

I've seen a young woman trying to hide her face as she talks on a cell phone in the corner of a restaurant, tears running down her cheeks.

I've seen the waitress freeze in the middle of the restaurant, looking back and mouthing something as she moves her index finger through the air, recalling her last order and planning her next mission.

I've seen rude people, gracious people, people with alterior motives, and people who are simply happy to be doing whatever it is that they're doing.

There are young girls who want to grow up way too quickly.

There are shy, awkward boys who play too many video games and who will hit their 30s before they find themselves or anyone else. (sound familiar?)

There are strong but weary mothers who push a child down a sunny sidewalk in a wheelchair, as a younger sibling skips behind.

There are men who think they are more than they are.

There are people who look down on and ridicule anyone who doesn't speak their language. Thankfully, they are greatly outnumbered by people who understand why we, as foreigners, are in their country in the first place.

There are so many familiar sights here; rocks, benches, leafless trees, city workers, drizzle, garbage, minivans, stunning flowers, ipods, you-are-here maps, people walking dogs, and so on and so on.

Boring to read about, I'm sure.

I guess I don't look at it as boring though. It almost feels....refreshing at times. Resfreshing to know that these people and this place that would appear to be so different....are not.

Clearly there ARE differences. If you've been reading this blog, you'll have heard me speak of more than a couple. There's a few cultural gaps between America and Korea. There are amazing sights to see. There are incredible places to behold. There is the occasional mystery food(i'm now leaning toward not trying the raw, freshly-chopped-up, still-moving baby octopus tentacles. i have my reasons).

I'm just saying that it's nice to know that you can go halfway around the world and there are certain things that won't change.

God knows, I'm still the same. I still smile some days and frown others. I still make mistakes. I still surprise myself from time to time with something awesome. I watch, I listen, and I try to learn. And sometimes I even SPEAK!!! hehe

So,

next time I promise to write about something more Anthony Bourdain-like. For today, everyday life will have to do.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Much love from my Seoul!!!

~tony

ps. i hope this post didn't discourage anyone from coming to visit. i promise if you do, we'll go see the cool stuff and not just sit around people watching!