we went to get massages in the morning. it's for women only but they made an exception and let w get a facial massage. the place is run by a korean woman and employed by vietnamese women. the head vietnamese manager there spoke pretty good korean - it seems that most of the customers are korean ex-pats. i got a 1.5 hour full body massage for $8. they had jazz style hymns playing in the background the whole time, which tells you how korean this place is.
we went home, had lunch and then went to the airport for our flight to danang, which is a beach area. we took a cab to our hotel in hoi an. the hotel is great and $60 a night. i highly recommend it. the hotel had free bikes so we rode around all night, got some mangosteen from a street cart, had dinner, bought a tie for will and came back. it was my first time eating mangosteen. so yummy!
today was better and i felt more adjusted to vietnam. also, i like it here in hoi an. we can get around on bikes or by foot, which is nice.
my updates in vietnam may be sporadic as i have limited internet access. nice thing is i have access in the hotel right now.
7/6/10
vietnam: day 2
we got up pretty early and had breakfast at home. then we went to daewoo hotel to change money, and then to hanoi towers for lunch. after that will's cousin and wife dropped us off in the old quarters of hanoi. we walked around a bit, but it was super hot and humid. we went to the ho chi minh mausoleum and tried to go to the museum but it was closed. so we went back to the old quarter, had ice cream at fanny and then went home.
vietnam was really a shock for me that day. it is a pretty poor country, so it is very cheap for americans. it was such a change from seoul that it took me a day to get used to it. also, there's no subway here, so we take the taxi everywhere, and we usually negotiate an amount ahead of time so as not to get cheated. and the hardest part for me, is that it's really really hot. i cannot emphasize how hot it is here! and humid. it completely drains me of energy.
anyways, after that we went out to dinner with will's cousin's wife and two daughters. will's cousin works for hyundai out here and his kids go to international school. i've learned there is a small community of koreans and other internationals in similar situations. the kids are fluent in korean and english, and the older daughter (12) is very curious about america, and also about bi-cultural identity. we had a good time talking with them as they opened up towards the end of the evening. oh yeah, lots of seafood and stuff at dinner - like frog legs and turtles.
vietnam was really a shock for me that day. it is a pretty poor country, so it is very cheap for americans. it was such a change from seoul that it took me a day to get used to it. also, there's no subway here, so we take the taxi everywhere, and we usually negotiate an amount ahead of time so as not to get cheated. and the hardest part for me, is that it's really really hot. i cannot emphasize how hot it is here! and humid. it completely drains me of energy.
anyways, after that we went out to dinner with will's cousin's wife and two daughters. will's cousin works for hyundai out here and his kids go to international school. i've learned there is a small community of koreans and other internationals in similar situations. the kids are fluent in korean and english, and the older daughter (12) is very curious about america, and also about bi-cultural identity. we had a good time talking with them as they opened up towards the end of the evening. oh yeah, lots of seafood and stuff at dinner - like frog legs and turtles.
korea day 11 / vietnam day 1
we walked over to my uncle's place and had breakfast. health is a big thing in korea these days. everyone is eating healthier and gyms are popping up all over the place. we had a really healthy breakfast. we talked about the world cup, family news and said our goodbyes.
we met up with will's cousin saejong again, and went out to lunch in apgujeong. i had momil guksu (soba) and donkasu. we also saw a once famous korean music group, dj doc there. we rushed back home, and got our luggage. will's aunt and uncle took us to the airport. i cried after we said our goodbyes as i was going through security. i remember i always used to cry when i left korea, and i did it again.
i had a great time in korea, but i think the trip was especially significant for will. will had not been to korea in 20 years. a lot has changed since then. also, i think the trip was really healing for him on two levels. first, in terms of identifying as a korean american and being proud of the korean part of himself. secondly, in reconnecting with his family and gaining a larger perspective on his own family, especially his father. i feel really grateful for the time we had in korea as a couple, and that i was able to meet his family. it was very cool to see how great the trip was for will too.
//vietnam//
no one in korea could quite understand why we wanted to go to vietnam. all of our relatives told us it was dirty, really hot, and not much to do. still, i think i had a bit of a shock when i arrived at the airport in hanoi. it was a lot smaller than i had expected. and it was hot. will's cousin picked us up and we went over to his home. he is married with 2 really sweet daughters. we planned a general itinerary and went to sleep.
we met up with will's cousin saejong again, and went out to lunch in apgujeong. i had momil guksu (soba) and donkasu. we also saw a once famous korean music group, dj doc there. we rushed back home, and got our luggage. will's aunt and uncle took us to the airport. i cried after we said our goodbyes as i was going through security. i remember i always used to cry when i left korea, and i did it again.
i had a great time in korea, but i think the trip was especially significant for will. will had not been to korea in 20 years. a lot has changed since then. also, i think the trip was really healing for him on two levels. first, in terms of identifying as a korean american and being proud of the korean part of himself. secondly, in reconnecting with his family and gaining a larger perspective on his own family, especially his father. i feel really grateful for the time we had in korea as a couple, and that i was able to meet his family. it was very cool to see how great the trip was for will too.
//vietnam//
no one in korea could quite understand why we wanted to go to vietnam. all of our relatives told us it was dirty, really hot, and not much to do. still, i think i had a bit of a shock when i arrived at the airport in hanoi. it was a lot smaller than i had expected. and it was hot. will's cousin picked us up and we went over to his home. he is married with 2 really sweet daughters. we planned a general itinerary and went to sleep.
korea: day 10
we folded up the laundry we had done and started packing our stuff. then we went to shilla hotel for a goodbye buffet lunch with all of will's family in korea. afterwards we went with sae jong, will's youngest cousin to namdaemun to buy gifts. he was really impressed with our bargaining skills. afterwards we rested for about an hour and then met up with another of will's cousins in yaksudong. we went over to his place and chatted for a couple of hours about will's family history and life in general. it was some really good conversation. then we went out for a late dinner at a bok (blowfish) restaurant. afterwards we went to dongdaemun because will's cousin's wife wanted to buy a gift for will's sister. slept at 2:30am.
7/2/10
korea: day 9
we got up, chatted with my cousin and then went to namdaemun with w's aunt to get glasses done. i got mine for about $25. we also picked up some girly hairpins for will's sister. then we met up with w's uncle and had lunch at a restaurant in one of his commercial properties, and then visited his office.
we went home, and then went back to namdaemun and got some blankets. the blankets are different in korea - they are much lighter.
we quickly went home, changed and then met up with w's uncle, aunt and cousin, had korean style hot pot, and then went to a coffee shop, had coffee, tea, cake and more red bean shaved ice.
our time in korea is coming to an end. i'm getting sad about it. :(
we went home, and then went back to namdaemun and got some blankets. the blankets are different in korea - they are much lighter.
we quickly went home, changed and then met up with w's uncle, aunt and cousin, had korean style hot pot, and then went to a coffee shop, had coffee, tea, cake and more red bean shaved ice.
our time in korea is coming to an end. i'm getting sad about it. :(
korea: day 8
we picked up my aunt from the namhae bus terminal and went back to her island home. we went outside and dug up some potatoes from her yard, and ate that with breakfast. the potatoes were really delicious. we chatted with my aunt some and then went to the art village on the island, looked around, and tried some black garlic (it turns black when steamed). my aunt took us to the bus terminal and we said farewell to her and to namhae.
we arrived in seoul and quickly changed, then went to dinner at the chinese restaurant at the w hotel in walker hill and went home.
we arrived in seoul and quickly changed, then went to dinner at the chinese restaurant at the w hotel in walker hill and went home.
7/1/10
korea: day 7
we woke up at my aunt's house in namhae. in the morning we made breakfast, ate and will buried the food leftovers from dinner and breakfast in the garden. people use the leftover foodstuffs to fertilize their gardens, and my aunt packs out the trash and carries it into the city. oh, i also wanted to mention that all of her furniture is used stuff that her friends were getting rid of, and the appliances like the rice cooker, microwave and such are gifts from friends who have stayed over. i thought she was very resourceful.
my aunt's street leads up to a hike to a buddhist temple and a mountaintop view, so we took the hike to a little bit beyond the temple and back. then we went out and ate abalone porridge for lunch. we learned that they grow the abalones for a year in their tanks, and then let them grow for 3 additional years in the sea. that is why abalone is so expensive. we drove around the island, visited a rock in the shape of a male's you know what. supposedly if you touch it you will be able to get pregnant. after that we went to sangju beach. then we went to mijo and ate anchovy stew for dinner. yum! ;)
we came back and watched some csi and then went to sleep. i love island culture. we noticed lots of elderly people working hard in the rice fields and walking along the roads with packs on their backs in the heat of the day. it was very impressive.
my aunt's street leads up to a hike to a buddhist temple and a mountaintop view, so we took the hike to a little bit beyond the temple and back. then we went out and ate abalone porridge for lunch. we learned that they grow the abalones for a year in their tanks, and then let them grow for 3 additional years in the sea. that is why abalone is so expensive. we drove around the island, visited a rock in the shape of a male's you know what. supposedly if you touch it you will be able to get pregnant. after that we went to sangju beach. then we went to mijo and ate anchovy stew for dinner. yum! ;)
we came back and watched some csi and then went to sleep. i love island culture. we noticed lots of elderly people working hard in the rice fields and walking along the roads with packs on their backs in the heat of the day. it was very impressive.
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