Staying in Korea!?

Well, some changes have occured.

My university, the FH Deggendorf is just now negotiating with the university Inha here in Incheon about creating a partnership. And I am right now in the course of filling out my application forms and pushing every person necessary to finish my preparations to send all forms to the university here. I also just now sent away the last forms for the DAAD. I heard, that for Korea the budget is never fully exhausted, so I might have a good chance to get some financial aid. If the partnership really gets realized, I will not have to pay the university fee. Moreover Incheon, the city where the university is located, about an hour out of Seoul, is pretty cheap. So I won't have to pay too much for an apartment. Seems like everything is proceeding well so far and I hope it will continue like that. In one or two weeks I will definitely know more. I would be the first German student at the Inha University... big honor :-)

Although everybody is telling me to come home, I really think this is a great opportunity and I really want to take the chance. Who knows what impact this will have on my future.

What else... this weekend on Friday my "room mates"Jenny and T* made a party. We bought a big cake and I cooked a noodle salad. Moreover we had sausages, potato salad (real German food) and Kimchi chigae (김치찌개 I am practicing my Korean). Anyway, I ate a lot that night. Sometimes the atmosphere was a little bit sad, since the party was actually based on the fact, that T* will leave next week. We will miss you a lot! Really.

After eating at home, we all went down to Itaewon to the Lime Lights and afterwards to Noraebang. It was a lot of fun.

On Saturday in the evening Daniel, Hana, 장희 and I went to Yoido Island and watched a big firework (pulgot 불꽃: fire flower in korean). There were sooooo many people and on our way home, we had to walk a few kilometers and fight our way through a big crowd of people at the metro station. I just remember the Shakira or Carlino Brown concerts in Madrid. Was very similar. I have to add, that I come from a town of 3,000 inhabitants! But I also have to add, that I don't have any problem with big cities. I just don't like being smashed by the people and then starting to think, what could happen if somebody starts panicking. Well, but there was always somebody to protect me. :-) Anyway, I am starting to get used to situations like that.

During the last few days the winter has started. Really started. It's f** cold. I mean, I have a nice warm sweater, but yesterday I felt the urgent need to get a coat. So 장희 and I went to Dongdaemun 동대문 ... like so often before. I know this area almost as well as Itaewon but I love it a lot more. Unfortunately I think I am the only person who feels cold yet in Korea. Nobody is wearing winter coats yet and stores now start selling jackets for fall... (?) Anyway, fact is, that they did not have one warm coat in any of the three shopping departments. Well, and since I thought, I should follow the Korean fashion, instead of a warm coat, I bought... a mini-skirt. All Korean girls wear mini-skirts, even when it's snowing ( I was told). Moreover I got myself another sweater. It's really cool and fits the skirt perfectly. And with some stockings it's really not too cold. But of course I am not allowed to wear this outfit when I am on my own... well, I can understand. :-) it looks just to damn sexy. As long as people don't think I'm a Russian dancer in a Noraebang, I don't care. Every Korean first thinks I am Russian. Why??!! Well, sorry, but still better than American. Koreans don't really like Americans, especially the soldiers after an accident with an Army truck and two dead Korean girls...

OK, anyway... I will see if I am going to wear it at all this winter, because today I already feel my throat starting to hurt a little bit. Why does Korea have to be so cold?! Well, I shouldn't complain, this is really the only real negative aspect I have encountered so far. I just love it here. But don't worry guys. I will always remember you and come back as soon as my financial situation allows it and as soon as I miss you too much. But you have to understand. Half a year longer just has to be... really. I am also more and more having fun in learning the language 한국말.

And, I have a new camera. Pictures will be added soon!!