Phew! This entry is long overdue. The foreigners are fluctuating, which I am told is a constant process. One left a few weeks ago, another leaves tomorrow, and two more are leaving in June or July. One of the replacements arrived on Friday, now I'm no longer the new guy!
Looking everywhere for a studio that works out after I get off work, I discovered only one (that I could make it two for 3 almost-1-hour workouts a week), which happened to have no adults, and many rambunctious kids. Giving up on that idea I started looking for places that offered classes earlier in the day. The Gumdo (Kendo) school teacher near my house offered to give me individual lessons if I committed to working out every day for an hour, I said yes and then checked out another studio I hadn't ever seen or talked to someone at. The teacher there works with two students who, like me, teach at a hagwan from 3-10 or so. Curious (and rather board in the mornings) I've signed up for that one too. It's also a Gumdo school, but practices a traditional Korean style, which, in my biased opinion, is very fancy, colorful and showy. Anyway, we'll see how it goes.
I've made it up to Daegu and down to Busan almost every weekend in May, both are fun places to visit and have a much more lively atmosphere than Miryang. It seems like there are two cliques in the foreigner community here, guys and girls. I have been warmly welcomed to the beer and chicken nights with my English, South African, and sometime Spanish and New Zealand friends, but find the stories that the girls from South Africa and America tell to be a little more funny or interesting. This is probably another thing that I'll wait for a bit and see how it goes.
The English guy, Lockie, is getting married in October, so at the last chicken and beer night, talks of an epic bachelor party started. A long weekend in Shanghai might come to fruition sometime in September.
Friday is Korean Memorial Day so I'll get a long weekend. Still not sure what everyone's plans are, but it'll be fun no matter!
