we are in seoul now

let the seoul-mate-searching begin. or not.
well we are on the unlucky 13th floor. we have an uh-mazing view. we look directly at the mountains. there is a little bit of city between us and the mountains, but not much. i have a feeling those mountains that are outside our window are the mountains that are separating us from north korea. we are close...but no worries people.

well. we got here on saturday, and i proceeded to hit the town. duh. i walked my confident self outside the doors of my safe little hotel room down to the front desk and asked how to get to the subway. right left- i could do that. so i did. met up with some people i had never met before, and had a slightly obscure connection with. it all worked out. they met me exactly where they said they would, and i was only 20 minutes late. not too shabby. we ate korean food. it was pretty good. basically you cook the meat at your table over this little gas grill and then you just enjoy the fresh meat wrapped up in lettuce with rice or whatever else you want to add to it. there are all types of ammeninties to add that they put out on the table. not your typical american burger and fries. but much more fun and communal. well i am going to go to church with these people next week. they went out to a bar after dinner, but like a good little girl i scurried on home so as not to worry my cousin's husband. i was home by 10:30 and i made it too and from in a completely foreign country where i speak not a word of the language all on my own. the subway is about as extensive as NYC, but much less complicated and very well marked- in English of course. I couldn't have survived any other way.

that was my first venture out into this big city by myself, and it went pretty well. hopefully i can continue to have successful excursions. gini and i did venture out with rachel in tow as well today. we went out in our little neighborhood to see what is around us. there are all kinds of exciting stores that i will have to linger in for hours and hours and hours sometime soon. i will let you know.

photos on their way