jrkorea's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- fanmail Sometimes my kids, well the girls, write me letters. I don't know why. And they never want anyone else to see it or even see them giving it to me. Occasionally they border on bunny boiler stuff ("teacher where you live? i want to see your house! can i live in your house? teacher i come to your house ok?") but usually they are sweet and harmless. These are two I got in the last week, both from 10 year olds but in quite different levels. to teacher to Joanne Of course the fact it's report card week has nothing to do with it! 11:14 a.m. - Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- babe So it's been 1 month now with my boyfriend, Luke. It's kind of funny how we've both just assumed the same start date or even that he thinks about things like that too. And, Luke, just because I don't want to see you today doesn't mean it's not special or doesn't mean anything; I can't wait to go home and call you. Thank you so much for everything. I don't deserve but I do appreciate. And I'm not quite where I want to be right now within myself but I'm not too far off either and a thousand kisses for every moment you're patient with me 10:57 a.m. - Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- silent sigh sometimes everything is ok again even just for a moment somewhere in an alternative dimension or in a place so close you can never really touch it and you feel you can let go because you can't lose something that will always be there it's just a case of redefining where there is. 10:49 a.m. - Monday, Nov. 17, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- thank God for visa Taking full advantage of the fact I've found a boy who doesn't mind shopping (or at least not when it's with me), we hit Dongdaemun this afternoon. Six hours (and only ONE store) later we emerged with the following: gorgeous faux-wool beanie/hat, a pair of earrings (I've since misplaced), a super-nice black leather (I think) handbag, a black rabbit-fur zip-up vest, a gorgeous buttoned above-the-knee pleated skirt, a fab bright hot fuschia corduroy jacket (which cost a fortune and will be of absolutely no use to me in 2 weeks when it gets really cold), and a pair of pink prescription glasses with pink tinting. No jokes about seeing the world through rose-colored glasses thank you. Finally Luke had enough and dragged me out of there before I had time to try on the Dooche boots (and re-ogle the Gucci ones), buy a red purse or check out the cosmetics. Ah, but there's always next Sunday. 10:47 a.m. - Sunday, Nov. 16, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DMZzZzz After no sleep and several G&Ts I stumbled into the shower before the crack of dawn and headed down to the USO to embark on a tour of the De-Milatarised Zone. The DMZee (or DMZed if you're trying to be cute). We bused north with our delightful guide Julie Julie Julie (who liked to repeat everything 3 times). She took pleasure in enlightening us to the fact that Koreans like eating rice and require water to live; plus she wanted to know if we were claustrophobic or were we healthy? 4 cds later, we arrived at our first stop - the DMZ souvenir store where we had the option to purchase such North/South Korean delights as cheap watches and postcards of nearly naked women. After that brief interlude, we got to see a pretty neat slide show voiced by a totally-army army guy who also happened to be our next bus guide. He tended to bark and all his tour guide info sounded more like he was issuing commands but he was ever so cool and looked damn fine in that uniform. Soon we ventured into the heart of the DMZ. Signs everywhere proclaimed 'Danger. This is MINE area' (as opposed to 'YOUR' I can only guess??). We went into a building that is right on the border so it's technically possible to stand with a foot in each country while you listen to the spiel. Then we got to pose with some mannequins who themselves were posing as South Korean Army. The wear super big, super dark sunglasses, big pouts, and both hands in tight fists. The idea is this makes them look intimidating so that the North Koreans will run away if they accidentally decide to invade. Next we headed into a tunnel. Actually you ride a rollercoaster into the tunnel. And you have to wear hardhats. Sarah was shocked. If it's not Gucci I'm not wearing it - she stated with determination but then relucatantly popped it on over a beanie. We were at the 'Third Tunnel'. It was discovered in 1978 only 44km from Seoul and is big enough for 10,000 NK troops to pass through every hour. Unfortunately I didn't even see one. Damn, where was all the excitement? Finally we made our way to the Dora observation post. We got to listen to a talk about all the things we would be able to see if it wasn't the FOGGIEST day in HISTORY and outside wasn't a sheet of WHITE and people actually took photos of WHITE. I tried looking through a telescope but it only made the WHITE seem bigger. Knackered on the bus home. Went straight out drinking of course. Oz beat NZ at the rugby. That's always good fun when you're watching with several Kiwis. Briefly saw some DJ Luke knows and passed out from exhaustion circa 10pm. 10:35 a.m. - Saturday, Nov. 15, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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