2. Independence Day!

Friday, August 15 2008:

Who would've thought that me, just sharad from Brisbane, Australia would be one day sitting in a tradtional Korean bungalo (upon the side of a mountain, overlooking other mountains and crops of rice and ginseng) eating traditional cold noodles and drinking traditional Korean alcohol (made from corn) at 10:30 in the morning! I couldn't believe it myself actually! While I was back in Oz I was forever dreaming to be elsewhere..

So we went to bed last night at about 4:30am after drinking soju and beer until we could perfectly understand each other (without needing to talk). Then we went to bed, and next thing I know, I'm begin woken up.. *in his very bad Engrish* wake up sharade time to go, you like this place I go'. So I woke at 10am and went to have 'breakfast' at this place on the other side of the mountains... I forgot its name. It's not very far, about 15 minutes drive from here, and instead of having to drive up mountains, over here they just drill straight through them!

After drinking sooooo much the night before all I wanted was water and nothing else.. we ended up picking up a woman whose a Billionaire (in WON), and then going to this 'retreat' located on the side of a mountain overlooking crops. Such a peaceful place too. The drive there was awe-inspiring.. We met two other guys there, and when I said hello (anyoung ha se yo or somethign like that) they looked at me and smiled! And then everything they tried to interpret for me.. the woman though, she was probably the most fun! See Young Dong, my flatmate is a real estate broker.. so we ended up (after eating cold noodles (which ROCK btw) and drinking more alchol) going to a place about 8 minutes drive from where we were; a beautifully picturesque place!! I went for a walk while he conducted his business.. it's like being in a huuuge vallley and right in the centre was a river running into the main river of Hongcheon. After that we went downtown and had a look around.. what an amazing place!!! Dunkin Donuts!!! They love it here!!! They also had Baskin Robbins and Pizza places and fried chicken places.. 'downtown' had everything I needed, except a Gloria Jeans..

Anyways, after we looked around for a while, we went to buy more Soju. We bought 2 more bottles which I thought were for tonight.. they were really for now!!! Now imagine... getting drunk, waking up with a hangover, having to eat a lot of good food while drinking more alcohol, and then coming back to polish off TWO more bottles of soju.. it's like I'm constantly drunk!! But I will tell you this... Youngdong has such a nice heart.. he didn't have to take me.. but he knew I wanted to learn more about Korean people and culture. So last night a loooootttt of stuff came out... we talked philosphy mostly though.. I showed him one of my posters on my wall:

"Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be. Because you only have one life and only one chance to do all the things you want to do" and he absolutely loved it!! In HIS words, (I didn't say a thing) "Sharad, live your adventure man.. I am jealous of you, I am 46 and you are 24 (Korean age starts from when you were concieved if you get what I mean), you are in GOLDEN AGE!!! You want to go to Japan and then Dubai after.. YOU GO!! I WANT YOU TO GO!! LIVE YOUR LIFE AND DO NOT WASTE LIKE ME!"

So when we met up with people he told them (I'm guessing) in Korean that I am a bit concious of being overweight.. the woman (about 50yrs) told me I'm very 'manly' and she like's, and kept looking at me and smiling!! The two other men said I need to lose some weight. When I agreed they said 'only in your stomach!!' You have verrrrry nice face!!' And they're soo affectionate.. this billionaire woman lives in a tin house... she has saved all her life for her family and barely spends anything! But the nicest people ever!

Ok so now Youngdong is asleep after 2 more bottles of soju with me.. and I'm riggght on the verge of it.. We have a big night tonight so I better get some shut-eye.. BTW if you dont know, its Korean Independance Day today so i have the day off get drunk (which I already have) then sleep and sober up before getting drunk again! Well that's apparently what every Korean does round here.. The best thing is that I'm a foriegner, so people like to buy ME drinks! It's not all that much though, thats why I let them.. a 360ml bottle of soju is about $1.00 and two bottles are more than enough... I better sleep then.. I'm sure youngdong will be waking me any moment to go drink more.. :D

I just can't help but think of home.. still. Like every beautiful scene I see I think, if only Chook was here to see this with me. Or if I'm having trouble explaining something and I have to revert to actions which make me look soooo silly.. I think 'if only Pav were here to see this'. Or if I'm just watching people and seeing them go about their every day lives.. i think 'if only Pixiefish was here to see this'... just little things that all of you have said or done, I remember all of it now and in places I least expect. Another example is when I saw a Baskin Robbins.. I thought of Raynazz and her banana ice-cream straight away! Then when I saw this really expensive shoe shop I thought of minz and us singing 'SHOES... LET GET SOME SHOES...' Ok time to go now.. so goobye everyone.. I miss you all and love you even more so.

Sharad.