This Weekend and Some Random Observations

Well, I guess I'll start with the trip this weekend. The rafting took place in the Hantan River (famous for rafting and being the home of that nasty Hantaan Virus). It was a little disappointing. First, it started to pour down icy, cold rain on us right as we were leaving so it was pretty freezing. Worse than that, a HUGE lightening storm started right above us and we still went. It didn't feel very safe. I know at camp we always have to get out of the water at the first sign of lightening. The only thing that made me feel a little safe was that the river was in a canyon with an 80-100 foot high wall on each side. I assumed the lightening would hit something up there, but it was still a little uncomfortable holding metal paddles in the water.

The rafting itself was pretty calm. There were a few spots with some mild rapids, but nothing that was remotely scary or intense. I guess that makes sense since they had no idea what anyone was capable of. Most of the trip went like this; we would paddle for a 30 seconds and then float for a minute or two. I guess they wanted to make it last a while.

The best part of the rafting was actually the break we took in the middle on a little sandy beach. The flipped over one raft and put it on top of another raft. We could run at it and use it as a slide into the river. We also floated a raft upside down and wrestled on them. I got to wrestle Colin (or should I call him Sally?). Haha. Overall, rafting was fun but not as intense as I was hoping.

Bungee jumping was AMAZING!! I've never had a rush like that before. The bridge, at 52 meters high, is the only bridge in Korea with bungee jumping. You just jump off and it's a complete free fall. Plus, the bungee doesn't grab as soon as you think, so it's that much more intense. I can't wait to do it again (if you haven't noticed, there's a video I made on the previous post showing some of the jumping).

...and now for something completely different. Many of these are just generic things that all Westerners notice when they come to Asia, but I thought some people would enjoy them:

1. Koreans where lots of t-shirts with English phrases that either don't make sense or are poorly translated. ie - "Impossible is Nothing" (I really wanna get that one before I come home)
2. The coolest t-shirt I've seen....my first night here, across the street from my house "Pocono Cheesecake Factory" That made me smile
3. The letters "L" and "R" actually make the same noise in Korean (and probably other Asian languages) so that's why they struggle with pronouncing them in English.
4. Korean words cannot end on a consonant sound and the letter "F" does not exist. Sucks having the name Jeff. In Korean it's pronounced "Jeh-puh." Luckily, I spend most of my time with English speakers (though my students gave me a Korean name. They change Jeffrey Alan Moses to Se Ju An....I like that).
5. You can ride a bike, motorcycle, or vespa on the sidewalk, and as long as you ring your bell or honk your horn, you don't have to avoid crap. It's the pedestrians job to get out of your way.
6. The first song I heard on the radio here was Paula Abdul "Straight Up Now Tell Me."
7. There are some things that I guess happen in every society....like kids hanging out outside of seven-eleven.
8. Any time I mention that my grandfather fought in the Korean war, people become very respectful and thank me.
9. I live in the city and have never felt safer. Not once have I ever wondered if it was ok to walk walk down a street late at night.
10. Koreans are quite possibly the nicest, friendliest, most hospitable people on earth

There are many more things I could say, but I'll save those for another time.