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08/25/2009: "Hi-Tech!?"
Korea (and Koreans) do some things right, but there are other things that are done that don't make sense. For example, I just finished watching the televised launch of the country's first rocket into space . So far, it appears to be successful. Goheung, the launch site, is not all that far from Yeosu, and I was told that you'd actually be able to see the lift-off from some vantage points close to Yeosu. Koreans will be justifiably proud of the launch if it proves successful, and Korean TV stations will be showing the event over and over and over and over for the next several years, or at least until they launch the next one. (They do this with the few sporting events that they've had some success at, such as the Olympics, Soccer World Cup, World Baseball Classic and others.)
Now, on the flip side of this hi-tech coin is another event which is happening tomorrow in the dorm rooms. The students don't start moving in again for the new semester until this coming weekend, so the place is basically empty except for us few English teachers. Therefore, the powers-that-be in the university maintenance department decided tomorrow would be a good time to do some fumigating of the apartments. The email I received from my boss said that they would be coming around between 2 and 4 p.m. to spray against - - - get this - - - the Swine Flu Virus. Sorry, guys, that's just plain ignorant, as far as I know. There's no defense against any flu virus that involves spraying. If that were the case, entire cities would have been fumigated by now, right? I imagine that they're really spraying for mosquitoes.
Anyway, we've been told to cover all our dishes or put them away and to stay out of the room. I asked about our bedding and clothes. We're supposed to put all our clothes in the closet and cover our beds. Hmmmm, cover them with what? Like, I'm supposed to dig up some tarp all of a sudden? Sheesh. I'll put all the bedding in the closet also, but what about the mattress? Guess I'll just have to take my chances. Gotta put my onions, potatoes and whatnot into the fridge, maybe store the toaster and coffee maker somewhere safe, put my laptop computer in it's carry bag, etc. I'll try to get some photos of this weirdness.
Speaking of photos, I haven't posted any lately, but below are a few for your perusal. We had a going-away dinner for one of the teachers whose contract finished recently and who decided to return to his homeland, Canada. We went to the Moriri steakhouse in Yeosu to chow down. Now, Yeosu steakhouses aren't all that bad, but they're nothing like Montana eateries like Guy's Lolo Creek Steakhouse in Lolo, just outside of Missoula, or the great Shamrock Bar and Cafe in Wibaux (HUGE, juicy steak, baked potato with butter and sour cream and buttered corn on the cob, with an unbelievable amount of true, down home, Montana cowboy ambiance).
The first photo shows, from left to right, Mr. Seo (pronounced somewhere between "saw" and "suh"), the computer wizard at the Language Center, Jay, one of the office staff, and Raymond, our departing teacher.
Raymond's Dinner Party
Here, Raymond is digging into a plate of bbq ribs. Raymond's a great guy and we all wish him the best of luck in Canada, where he intends to continue teaching.
Raymond and Ribs
This is what I ate. I'm not a fan of Korean steaks--I much prefer Montana Brand Steaks!--so I had a sampler platter that included a couple of deep-fried prawns, which are resting atop a fish cutlet that you can't see, a bbq beef-and-veggie kebab, and, buried under the green veggies and gravy, some kind of flattened beef, like pounded round steak or something. I didn't eat too much of the beef, but everything else was quite tasty.
Sampler Platter
Enjoy.
Yanks now lead by 7 1/2 games over you know who. More later. 
P.S. I just heard on CNN News that the South Korean satellite has reached a "less than perfect" orbit. No word on whether that means success or failure. Stay tuned.
