A Day in the Life of Lumina

I thought it might be worth it to chronicle a day in the life of Lumina since I got to tag along...she is an amazing hostess/ tour guide...AND her life is just as exciting, artistic and wild as her blog makes it seem. First to her friend, Yu Bin's art studio to see if it would work for her...
We talked about art, Korean, English, Food....

And then we went to eat food. Being with Lumina means eating REAL korean food. No fake stuff and no american cop outs...she's authentic. This is Bosun Kimchi which means "Covered kimchi". It's very special because the kim chi has RAW oysters in it. Oh, I tried to be okay with it, but I just couldn't do it. I discovered this night that I have a Korean Food Quota and I had finally reached it. The next night I ate a panini from a non-authentic Korean food restaurant down the street just to cleanse my palate. At church, someone who has lived here for 5 years encouraged me to balance my meals 50% Korean, 50% Western. Good idea and probably doable since when I am on my own, I am too scared to go to a Korean restaurant by myself and end up eating at Macadonaldee's (Korean pronunciation) or the like. I can't even get up the courage to eat Korean street food alone. Sigh. I hope that changes.
I think in this next picture, I somehow ended up teaching YuBin what the lyrics to "Solid as A Rock" mean. I don't really want to go into details about how it came to this, I would just like to acknowledge that it is very difficult to explain 70's soft rock hits to someone who doesn't speak "lame". Also, Lumina and I were trying to explain the word "cheesy" but stopped in the middle when we realized that Koreans don't really see things as "cheesy" the way we do. I mean, this is a culture in which boyfriends and girlfriends increase the level of their committment by purchasing "couple's shirts" and wearing them proudly in broad daylight. cheesy does not translate.

Up next: a quick trip through Myong-dong...OH I LOVED IT! you start on an unassuming street. it looks like any other and then WHAM! you head up a hill and at the bottom is the most amazing, bazaar-like carnival of a city street you can imagine...Times Square on Asian crack. vendors and shops and crazy people....I was in heaven. And looking at these pictures, I realize that it is impossible to capture the feeling of cresting the hill and heading down into Myong-dong. Bummer. I really wish I could share it with you!

more creepy caucasian-asians. everything looks white except for these charlotte's web eyes. It's so strange and disturbing and wrong.
Probably no one else will think this is funny, but a vendor had earrings that ran approximately USD$1 (1000won) and the sign said, HANDMADE. right. handmade. by small children in taiwan?

I bought some anyway! Come on. They were $1. (you'll probably be getting some for christmas so don't knock it.)

Outside a store. I thought this picture made me look a little like punkrock. I dig the lighting.
And the next day, I went to church. This building is nestled in an alleyway somewhere in seoul. I have no idea how we got there...I just came along for the ride.

DON't CRY! There will be more seoul to come. This weekend...I am sick, but resting up to paint the town some color tomorrow night. It's an art exhibition in hongdae.