Bad Bad Blogger

Yet again, it has taken me about a month to write on thisthing again. I promise from here on out, at least once a week! :)

Things have been crazy...although getting ready for the BFA show at KU hasn't been too big of a task. I am about 75% done with two rings and one bracelet and I will post pictures when they are completed. My teachers are good, albeit strict, my Korean class is moving quite quickly, but I have the kindest woman on the planet who cares about her student's success as a teacher. So that's good. Although I have to say, it is rather intimidating walking into the classroom each week since I am the only one who had time for 1 Korean Language Class instead of 3 or 4...needless to say, they're a bit ahead of me. Luckily I have met a friend of a friend (named Dennis) who needs help with his TOEIC Test (the English Proficiency test in Korea which is ridiculously hard!). He has also promised to help me with my Korean Writing Class in return.

So far I have a couple of trip ideas in the works which I'm hoping work out! There is a little island in the Philippines called Cebu that me and some friends are looking into for a few days after the semester ends (check out www.tipoloresort.com) and...get this: the Filipino Peso is 1 = $0.02. My Lord I love that exchange rate. A full breakfast a tipolo costs about $0.75. The other trip I'm looking into is the Design Festa in Tokyo, Japan although Japan is a little harder because Tokyo is expensive. Also, me and my friends are trying to book these on Korean websites which make things interesting too.
FINALLY the weather started to pick up. I had kept hearing about the beautiful, hot weather back home and now we're starting to get Spring. The cherry blossoms are blooming all over campus which are every bit as beautiful as people make them out to be. Here's proof!
This is Yon Du Ri, a fountain/sculpture near the entrance of Kookmin University. Oh! And how could I forget? Several friends and I had a little barbeque one Saturday afternoon to celebrate the beautiful weather (and we even had wine!!!). More pictures to come seeing as my harddrive is full right now :)

Another exciting tidbit is I had the pleasure of meeting the Chairman of the Kookmin University Foundation who is a KU alumni. His name is Dr. Jong-Woo Han and he was such a kind man. We went to lunch (Sunyoung, two of my professors and myself) with Dr. Han in this amazing restaurant which was in the Kookmin Law Building! Who knew? We talked about Sunyoung, her family, and her life back in the States, KU Basketball, KU/MU rivalries, and we talked about the Korean War (also mentioned was the Korean War Memorial on KU's campus which was created by my professor, Jon Havener, which Dr. Han donated money to make it happen and also was present at the dedication ceremony). He even knew one of my grandfather's friends that he met in Korea in the war, Tai Sun Kim, who unfortunately has passed on.


It was a pleasure and an honor to meet such an interesting and kind man. Man, I feel lucky!

Well...next up on my journey next week: Reinactment of King Sejong's (the creator of the Korean alphabet) Banquet, Pusan, and sending my work off to KU!!! Hope all is well and I love you all.

Peace, Love, and (I really do love) Kimchi :)

Lauren