Here's a pic from our apartment on the eighth floor. This is during summer, when Korea is most beautiful, but feels absolutely disgusting. The humidity is enough to make you perish of heat exhaustion. The average summer temperatures are at about 29-30 degrees Celcius, or 80-85 degrees Farenheit. That's all fine and good, but the monsoon season hits right in the middle of summer, so now imagine heavy, hot rains at that temperature. And, Koreans don't have air conditioning. Neither did we.
Brian and Elisa dressed up all pretty for our boss' wedding. This was on November 5, 2000. We were at a wedding chapel and this photo was taken about an hour before the ceremony. The ceremony is a typical Western-style wedding, with a few other twists, but all in all, it's pretty normal. Afterward, however, they retire to a small alcove to perform a traditional Buddhist ceremony, of which we have a photo, below.
Here, Brian and Elisa are seated in the main chapel hall itself, after the ceremony. You can't see all the workmen cleaning up after the wedding. That's behind the camera!!! :-)
This was a photo taken for an ad for our company. They wanted to prove to everyone through photos that they did indeed have two Americans working there. That's a huge boost to any company in Korea.
Here's the open market in our little town. It's a bit like a swap meet, but it spans several streets and only happens on Tuesdays. You can buy clothes, toys, household products, makeup, jewelry, food, etc. all at super low prices, though it's all new items. I don't understand it, but I do use it. I'd be a fool not to, with the amount of money it helps me save. In a department store, a sweater will cost me about 150,000 won, or around 100 USA dollars. The same sweater at the open market is about 15,000 won, or about 10 USA dollars. I have no idea why, but many of these clothes even have the department store tags on them, and are in excellent condition. I know it's not robbery, because even the smallest crime here gets tremendous news coverage. There simply is no crime in Korea, though the police are incredibly corrupt. Bribery of public officials is a common occurence here.
Here's our SCA group. We're from the Stronghold of Warrior's Gate, Barony Of the Far West, Kingdom of the West, SCA. You can visit the respective SCA websites for each of the areas by clicking on their names in the previous sentence. Brian and Elisa are in the photo on the far right-hand side. Elisa is in an Eastern Indian sari, and Brian is in Persian clothing, though he's halfway out of his armour from the swordfighting he loves so much.
Here's a view from our workplace in the autumn. It's very beautiful here at that time, and the temperatures are quite tolerable. Unfortunately, this photo looks rather brown. Too bad.
Yet another view from our workplace, though it's off to the side of the previous view. Still in autumn, taken the same day as the previous photograph.
Here's a photo of two people we work with, and their respective spouses. We are in the photo, but that's rather obvious to see. Sadly, we couldn't get more of our coworkers in it.
The lady to the far left is Liu and behind her is her guy, though I can't remember his name. Then Elisa (me) and behind me is Brian. Next to me on the right is Laurie (I don't remember her Korean name) and her new husband, though I don't know his name either. Well, it's not my fault!!! Their names are difficult, and Brian doesn't remember them either!
Here's our boss' traditonal Buddist wedding. I can't explain it. I have no point of reference in out culture, but I can say it is a very deeply moving ceremony, steeped in Buddhist culture and superstitions.
If you have any questions, comments, yadda, yadda yadda, write to me! Elisa and Brian: nuskit@yahoo.com
Credit for swirling cursor goes to Ozone.
