sup

i discovered today that a korean shaking their head "no" can be used to say hi. you know, for those times that a two-letter word is simply too taxing on a body. im thinking currently that this is probably something that i should have been able to figure out, oh, 8 or 9 months ago. alas, i remain quite often confounded by the daily habits and behaviors of those that surround me. but at least im learning, right?

On to something

The NY Times is on to something. In this recent article they discuss the Korean phenomenon of the jimjilbang, a Korean spa of sorts. This article, it seems, describes an aspect of my life, and life in general, in Korea. Access to hot pools with which to relax or to soak away muscle aches are common. In fact, the mall next to my apartment has one that includes a pool of little fish to eat the dead skin off your feet. At the beach this weekend, the spa had a mud pool in addition to an area where you paint your entire body with mud and allow it to add nutrients to your skin as it dries. There is also one at my gym. While they aren't so elaborate as the one described in the states, they are significantly cheaper. The mall one is about $7, the beach was $3, and the one at the gym is free. Of course, you pay more for extras like massages or scrubs, but regardless, you walk out feeling great.