random slices of Korea, perhaps funny only to me

Every day as I walk across campus to my Korean class, the outside speakers belt out some song. Usually Korean pop, but one day this week it was Celine Dion "My heart will go on." I think if that were played on loudspeakers at an American university, the students would revolt.

The use of English is a continual source of entertainment. Recently, a woman on the bus was carrying a gift bag with this motto: "Please understand how I feels with this heartly present."

I'm constantly surprised by Korean fashion statements. A few weeks ago, there was a guy wearing jeans, a blue and white striped shirt, a short bright red necktie, and a purple velvet sports coat.

My level two Korean teacher would stand at the front of the class while she was talking to us and hit her rear end with her fist. It's pretty common here to hit yourself as a form of massage. When my Dad came to Korea, we were walking in the park one morning and there was someone repeatedly bumping up against a tree. Dad looked over questioningly and asked what the person was doing, but by that time it didn't look funny to me.