'glamour' and 'maybe' according to Koreans.

Ah, Korea. True, they are the Asian country that spends the most per-capita on English education. However, they remain the least proficient. This is evident in the way that the sign outside my very classroom is misspelled. Expanding on this idea, let me educate you further on English's standing in this here country. For starters, there are some English words that Koreans all know. Words like: cute (pronounced cutie), beautiful (pronounced beautipuhr), love (pronounced luh-be), and so on. While these words are often mispronounced, the understanding of their meaning is on target. Such is NOT the case with the following words in particular: 'glamour' and 'maybe.'

Okay, believe it or don't, it is first necessary that you know how important volleyball is here. School is let out early on Wednesdays for it. Here it is important that you know that Koreans REALLY like school. So, yeah. Big deal. Lucky me! I am literally the closest thing to Kobe Bryant that my school has ever seen in terms of athletic ability. When I dove for the first time, my principal's heart may have literally stopped. Okay, now be amazed as I link volleyball to the topic of glamour.

Turns out, I got to Korea just in time to play in the ultimate Yeosu-wide volleyball showdown. Sweet. We get team jerseys for said showdown. Also sweet. Along comes a shy Korean woman on the volleyball team to explain to me the school-wide concern about me having a shirt that would fit. Direct quote: "You not fat....just...you so glamourous." Looking beyond the obvious best-news-ever (I'm not fat by Korean standards! woooot, woot!) I am told, largely via gesturing, that 'glamour' means boobs. Straight. Up. The day I learned that this indeed was the Korean interpretation of the word was the day that I started hearing that word eevvvvvverrrywhere I went. To be fair, in Korea, Calista Flockhart might be 'glamourous' by Korean standards. Cutting to the chase - the shirt they ordered me was an XL. It is shown above. It was still a crop-top when I served, blocked, hit, or breathed. Win.

Moving on from 'glamour' to 'maybe.' Basically, in Korea is means 'yes.' Pretty much absolutely, at that. Even though it is said with an upward inflection at the end. It can be terribly misleading.

"Do I have to pay my own bills?" "Maybe?"

"Can I go now then?" "Maybe?"

......shuffle awkwardly out the door.

Jeollanamdon't mind if I do!

And, while I do love Yeosu in all of it's obvious glory, I take every opportunity to explore more of the province. This is largely because at the end of a one-week orientation, I was chucked solo into Yeosu and my friends and fellow waygooks were scattered far and wide. As such, it is awesomely easy to justify weekly visits to other pockets of Jeollanamdo. By the way, family and friends from home and environs; I no longer pronounce it Jello-lando....at least when sober.

Highlights of my ventures thus far include a trip to Mokpo for some fireworks and to rub shoulders with the Mokpo's finest. The latter is meant to include the likes of my friends who live there, and also the actual police. Ahem. We then took a ferry that smelled not at all of fish to what is known as "the love island". It was there that I felt too modest to wear just a bikini and thought it necessary to wear a large piece of seaweed as a cheeky skirt.

So, I've been to some beach parties, some house parties..and a good deal of Mini Stop parties. And, while it's hard to pick favourites; the novelty of pounding back some cheap as booze in public under a parasol, while summoning Korean locals who may, or may not, be of age to join in, has not yet worn off.

Yo, Sue!

Thought I'd break the ice with the following charming display. This is a pen-holder. The necessity of which is in itself questionable. But, hey. Any excuse to have such a quaint and not at all untoward feature on display somewhere in a public place. What makes this all the better is that this was on display directly in front of the cash register at what was nothing more than a coffee and ice cream joint. Children were present. Nay. Prevalent.

So the city that I live in is a charming hamlet by Korean standards, but really it's a city of around 300, 000. So, though it is not a booming metropolis, it suits me just fine. Maybe this is because of the fine balance that it strikes by having sweet beaches (of both white and black sand) and a Korean night club that eagerly hosts my shenanigans and those of the friends that I have met here. All of whom are beyond d-o-p-e: dope, by the way.

To the left of the page you see me on MY beach. Yes. MY beach. I have written the necessary letter to the government of Yeosu and they're seeing to the name change as we speak. For now, it is called Mosageum, which I guess is cool too.

Diana vs. Technology

Blogging is difficult. It has been a week-long battle for me to even set this up. That said: hayyy you guuysss! I've been in Korea for a spell and several assaaah things have happened. I plan on telling all of my exploits via this medium. This is the best option that I have thought of for the following reasons: a) I am lazy and unreliable. It is unlikely that I would keep in touch with you all well indivudually. b) It is entirely possible that you don't even want to hear from/about me. This blog format will allow you to inform or exclude yourself at will.

Neato.