confusion or ..

Sometimes I'm confused by what I think is really obvious. But what I think is really obvious obviously isn't obvious...

bit of hwaseong fortress 

an entrance to hwaseong 

  this weekend i went to hwaseong fortress in suwon and only spent an hour there but it was a very relaxing hour.  The castle/fortress place is a big wall surrounding the center of the city of Suwon.  It was built in the 1700s by King Jeongjo in honor of his father Prince Sado.  The father was murdered by his own father by being locked alive inside of a rice chest because he disobeyed him by failing to commit suicide alone.  This fortress is now considered a World Heritage site by UNESCO, which I believe makes it a bit cooler if that's possible.
  I dont know if anybody has ever watched an old-time Korean drama but if they have, then they have seen a scene where "bad people" are punished to death and all I could think about at the fortress was: am i standing on a part of land where somebody was killed?  This place really put my mind at ease, even when thinking about the people who were beaten by the King's servants.  It was really cool to see the room of the King with his bed and gold painting/plating around the wood and head of it.
  Now, I just need to go back early in the day and spend the entire day there so I can actually see everything!  Can't wait ..

One of the little bedrooms at the fortress 

remember crazy jan?

they actually have hamsters as pets here in korea  

you would think the english would be correct 

why does the smaller toilet have a bigger stall than the normal toilet 

  So the past weekend I reluctantly decided to be of company at a bbq at one of the branches and yes, reluctantly.  Not only did I have to make the usual small talk with people I didn't know, I had to pretend to enjoy myself because I was the outcast there.  Now let's not get ahead of ourselves, if I really didn't want to go I could have just went home by myself, but as we all know -- I'm not THAT independent just yet.  I figured I would go have fun for an hour or two and then go home, right??  Wrong.  We ended up staying a few hours then finally as I'm thinking I get to go home and watch some Harry Potter with the Weezy, some guy (nothing against him, he was very nice to us) decides that it's okay for us to come to another location post-bbq.  Now, when I say he decided it's okay, I mean "guys it's okay come, please come, you will have a good time -- reallly it's okay" kind of it's okay.  So here we go on to the next venue with more alcohol meaning more unwanted shots down my throat to ease the anxiety of being somewhere once again I do not want to be at.  And there it goes.  Crazy Drunk Janet.  Yes I know you all know her.  I decided myself then that it was okay to let the people have it that I did not want to be there, no doubt.  So my friends (God bless them) gave in and said let's go home and we went but not without that "some guy" attempting to stop us and proceeding to say to me "i don't know who you think i am but..." with my continuing to just look at him make a fool out of himself.
  anyway, the moral of the night: quit being such a bitch jan, suck it up, and keep drinking -- it will all "be okay".  I did get some good pictures out of that adventure anyway, like that GREAT english up there!  =)

hey dude i like your bag

  i know this is the norm here in korea but i can't help to wonder why guys do this.  and what makes the girls here want the guys to do this?  this is my research question: Do girls shop for their bags with the boyfriends and get aid in choosing a bag because the guys are the ones who essentially carry these feminine things?  side question: Or do the guys just buy the bags themselves since they have to be seen with them out in public anyway?  
  is that why girls arms are so skinny and demented looking here?  they dont have to carry their bags out anywhere and considering women out here never stay home, they are never doing manual labor of any sort.  even the doors in korea are sliding doors so most of the places you dont have to push or pull any doors, just stand there and it opens for you or if it doesn't sense you -- you just push a little button and it will open automatically.
  next time i go out, which will be in a couple of hours, i will have my camera in hand to take many pictures of guys carrying nice little purses on their arms and if i get the courage -- maybe i will ask somebody my research question so i can write a thesis and a hypothesis.  wml.

america the great

little old korean house at namsan tower 

seoul map at the namsan tower peak 

I don't know where to start but I want to begin with HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND!  I am sad that I am not in the States this weekend to celebrate.  I just found out that half of the family is going to new york for the holiday and I am upset and jealous that I am not going to be there.  But in light of the great day, I am going to work on Monday wearing red, white, and blue with nice blue jeans on!  =)  Fitting, isn't it?  I also believe we're having a barbecue that night to celebrate with lots of American music including a little Miley Cyrus party in the u.s.a.!  I can't wait.
  The second two pictures are from namsan tower in seoul.  I went there the other weekend with a friend I trained with, their friend from the states, and my cousin from Korea.  This is the same weekend we went to the dmz while I was half intoxicated.
  I have been feeling sick all week and it peaked yesterday morning when I had a massive headache and I was dizzy all day.  It doesn't help to drink while you're sick, it only makes it worse, so I recommend no alcohol when under the weather (words of wisdom, right?).
  I am dog-sitting for a co-worker this weekend and it is quite entertaining to watch the two dogs play/fight because they gnaw at each others teeth and just head butt the whole time, and they could do this for HOURS on end.  well peace buddies.