My internet has been down, and I've been very busy at school, so I haven't had time to update. Right now I'm at the school even though I am done with classes, because it is absolutely pouring outside and I forgot my umbrella at home. (Actually it wasn't raining when I left and I just didn't feel like hauling it around.)
So many things have happened since I last wrote. First of all, I bought a cell phone. It's really cute. I'll post a picture of it when I'm at home. In Korea everyone has cellphones. Adults, children, but most of all high school students. Everyone text messages. Almost non-stop, but the good thing about text messaging in Korean is that it is easier to type messages. (At least if you use the slow way like I did in the states where if you want a letter on the same key you have to wait) I don't know how to describe it, but it's easier. This month I can't text very much, because I don't have the right plan for it, but next month and from then on I'll be able to talk as much as I want. It's much easier for me to understand and to form sentences in writing than it is in speech. Using text messages will make it much easier for me to keep in contact with friends. Instead of sitting at home and studying Korean in my many books (which is a good way to learn the basics). I will be able to emerse myself into situations where I need to speak the language (which is the scariest part.
Anyway, about the books. I haven't told my parents yet, but I've spent about 60,000 won (which is near $60, a little less) on Korean studying materials plus I just realized that I have to go back to the COEX and buy another book, probably on Friday. (The COEX is the biggest mall in Seoul, but it's only about fifteen minutes from my apartment.) So far I have bought 피타팬 (Peter Pan written in Korean.), which I found in the children's section of the Kyobo bookstore after church on Sunday. Then my Korean teacher, Mr. Lee (Moon) told me that I needed to get a grammar book, so I bought a Korean Practice book. He said that it didn't have grammar in it, so today I went to COEX and bought a grammar workbook and the cds that go with the Korean Practice book. I also bought a planner (the coolest planner I've ever seen) which I decided to only write in using Korean. None of you will be able to read it, but that's okay. I'll explain (hopefully telling the truth). Oh yeah, the other book that I have to buy is still the grammar book, because I realized that I need that book to use the workbook. I've also been using my sister Myung-hae or Meikei (her nick name)'s electronic and paper dictionaries to do my homework. I will buy my own sometime, but I haven't seen any as good as hers and I suspect that they are very expensive. With all of this (which includes the cell phone) I should be able to understand Korean in no time. I just hope that my budget decreases soon. I've been spending so much money in this first month.
Yesterday was the first Rotary meeting that I attended. It was a district meeting held at 7:20am at the HYATT hotel. I had to wake up at six o'clock and I hadn't gone to bed until 11:30pm. That was early, because now that I live within walking distance from school I don't have to wake up until 7am (I still use a cell phone as my alarm clock). Back to Rotary. It was a breakfast, but in Korea that does not mean that we ate bacon and eggs or belgian waffles and sausage. There was rice (밥), because a meal is not complete without rice, soup, but not any kind of soup you've probably ever had (which is also a meal neccesity), salmon, shrimp, lettuce salad, kim (dried seaweed), fresh fruit, a meat and potatoes thing (I don't know the name), and chinese side dishes of ginger, a radish that taste like ginger, and baby sweet onions. There I met my Rotary Counselor for the first time, because at our arrival he was abroad. His name is Mr. Keun-Soo Lee and I am being Sponsored by the Seoul-Jangchung Rotary Club in Korea along with the Rotary club back in Cannon Falls. I would like to say thank you to both clubs. We did not spend much time at the meeting, because we were missing school. We didn't get to meet the two other exchange students who are here from (I think) Illinois, but we did get to see them.

I've spent so much time on the computer, I better go. I'll post some pictures for you to wonder about and hopefully comment on them later. Pleasant Reading...-Kim