Updating

Firstly, I would like to update you the state of my Korean language. I thought that I would quote from a book that I'm reading to help convey my current thinking. The book is titled "Shantaram", and is written by Gregory David Roberts. Gregory Roberts would suffice for me, but who am I to judge as to why he uses all three.
The quote is "We can't really know what a pleasure it is to run in our own language until we're forced to stumble in someone else's".
Stumbling is definitely the impression that a Korean would have, if I they were to see me in the street, whilst executing my latest phrase. The Korean script is written into their phonic sounds. So my name would read 'to-be', rather than Toby. When I learn new words, phrases etc, I learn by writing it over and over, mixed in with a few listening exercises and verbal practices. But the most efficient way for me to learn is repetition of writing and then reading. So I am used to most words broken down. My results consist of well pronounced but excruciatingly slow spoken words. Example; if you were to hear a foreigner asking you for help, and they had learned their language "Toby Style", it might sound like this
hel-low, ker-an, you, huh-elp me pur-lee-sur. I aa-mer, In-tur-re-sur-tae-dur in see-ing a fur-il-mer....... Translated into fluent speaking English.
Hello, can you help me please? I am interested in seeing a film.
I require a lot of patience from my close Korean friends and work colleagues.

I'm currently in a little storm of studying Korean. It's the first bout of form that I have hit since being back in the country. You might say I have wasted three months of valuable study time. To a certain degree, I agree, but I have no one to answer to but myself, therefore I think I'm doing great. It's hard to digress the state of my Korean language. I think I know more than I think, if you know what I'm thinking. What I can say is that if someone was to ask, "Do you speak any other languages?", I would say yes. I wouldn't step out of my shoe size and say I have two languages!! actually, I would, I would lie. After all, how many people in the world can test me on my level of Korean. It may be a globally useless language to learn (exception being in Korea and inside Korean restaurants across the world), but to me it's something I enjoy, and something that one day will serve me well. I hope, that one day, my stumbling can become an adolescent waddle, or better still, a steady, Sunday stroll.

It's now only three weeks till I depart for Thailand. I'm hoping, with every ounce of hope, that the political troubles will have been swept away before my flight departs Seoul, 8:05pm, 24th Dec, 2008 (Seoul Time). Admittedly, it would be quite nice for the protests to flare up again whilst I'm on the islands. Whose going to complain at a few extra days in the sunshine eh?
So Christmas, this year, will be spent in Bangkok. Last year it was Seoul. This year I will be parading around Bangkok with Chris, one of my old mucker's from Himley Road. Chris came to Seoul for Christmas last year. He loved the Asian way so much that he took himself out of the comfort zone and flew his life to Malaysia. So, with Thailand sitting comfortably within both of our grasps, what a fine excuse to spend a second, on the bounce, Christmas together.

The weekend has passed and I spent a fun fun day at the horse races. Seoul Race Course was the chosen location, midday was the chosen meeting time, and Chris's 25th Birthday was the cause for celebration. Five British, Four Americans and Two Koreans made up our party of eleven. I didn't know what to expect, apart from the obvious running horses, small bets, slightly bigger bets, some wins, some loses and most likely a chilly afternoon in the crisp winter air. Unexpected extras that unpacked themselves throughout the day were; most clientèle were middle aged heavy smoking men, there was a distinct lack of females (not a huge surprise), we had the comfort of a foreign lounge (leather seats, warmth, non-smoking, English speaking guide), a sand track rather than grass and non-alcoholic larger. The days betting couldn't have got off to a better start. I threw myself into a BIG first race bet. I put down a thumping 4,000 Korean won bet on a horse to finish in the top three. 4,000 won is about £1.80. Not much!. My horse came in third. I had put the bet down, not knowing the odds. The system was fairly complex and I didn't have time to digest all the different numbers and fractions. Anyway, my horse came in a position and I knew, I had won something. It turned out I had gathered, with a huge almighty slice of beginners luck, a whopping 48,800 won. So my cute little £1.80 had transformed into a juicy £24.00, roughly. Still small time money, but I nice way to start the day. My pot luck continued, in the 12 races that I placed money on, I won in 10 of them. So, I went home the only person with a +figure in their wallet. I was up by about £15.00 after 6 hours of hustle and bustle. Fair Play!

Here are a few things you might not of known about Korea, and Korean people.

• People remove shoes inside ALL houses and a lot of other offices, restaurants etc.
  

• Kids go to school, two Saturdays a month.

• Most people live with their parents until they get married, regardless of age.

• Being busy and achieving (bettering yourself) is more important than leisure time.

• Koreans don't sell ANY kind of medicine in supermarkets or convenience stores, everything, including aspirin, is sold in pharmacies.

• Transferring money from bank to bank, or bank to retail company, bank to anywhere in the world is instant, no 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 day interest snatching time laps.

• Age is very significant in all walks of Korean life.

• Baseball is, by far, the most watched, played and enjoyed sport in the country.

• Young singers, pop stars if you like, men and women, have a lot of plastic surgery to look even younger than they already are. Most popular being, creating a small bag under the eyes, to enhance roundness, softness and all round cuteness. Apparently.

• Koreans, in general, don't like the Chinese. In a non discriminating way they refer to them as dirty. But this is a huge stereotypical view. Apparently. Also, their relationship with the Japanese isn't too hot either. However, Japan is preferred to then that of the "dirty" Chinese.

• The beer, larger, isn't good. At all.
  

• Men take huge pride in their workmanship.
  

• Dried squid is, probably, the most popular snack. I personally want to turn my stomach inside out a thousand times just looking at it. The smell?!!! I wouldn't wish it upon anyone, not even the Arsenal first team.
  

• Certain people refer to each other as Brother and Sister, rather than their name. Example, Anthony Teacher is older than me, so I would have to call him Brother, not friend, not Anthony. Something like that anyway.
  

• If you have a sore throat, slight ear infection, stomachache or any other small irritant sickness, the Korean doctor will supply with a ludicrous amount of pills. The pills, which come in packs of five, a range of colours and sizes, are a lethal mixture of 'I have no idea'. You must take the pack of 5, 4 times a day for a ransom number of days. Luckily enough, touching wood, I haven't had any kind of reason to visit the doctor. Hopefully, touching more wood, I won't have to.

I will post more Korean insights as they come to mind. As for the pictures below. I will let the image itself tell you.