HEAT JUSAYO?!

Ever since the weather began to become chilly, Koreans have been stingy on the heat. From my classroom to the indoor gyms we play at on Saturdays the heat is absent. What's colder than cold? Ice cold? No, me. It's so cold in these gyms that I think my 'lower regions' have gone to hibernate for the winter. But please don't kick me there to test that hypothesis...

The most popular way of heating your personal residence, hotel room, etc in Korea is floor heating. While my classroom implores the use of heating ventilation, the apartments, houses, and hotel rooms I have stayed in all put to use heated floors. The reasons for that is that it takes up less space, they like to sleep on the floor at times, and if air blows into their face while they are sleeping Koreans think they will die a FANDEATH.

Anyway, the last two times we played at the Buncheon and Catholic universities it has been ice cold in there. I can't get my muscles warm enough. I can't hold onto or shoot the ball. More importantly, I am afraid that I am going to tear another muscle. It's too cold for me to tell what kind of exercise my muscles can handle. Trying to get and stay warm for 2 hours in these ice cold gyms wears my muscles down. It takes too much energy to get my muscles warm and keep them that way. Most of all, I am surprised the gyms aren't heated. We are not the only one's who use the gym. So many people use the gyms from students to teachers to other groups they are using the gyms for basketball, badminton, etc. I'm simply shocked. I don't know if they are trying to save money, save the planet, or hate Waegookins. Maybe all 3.

My suggestion to you, if you are going to be in Korea during the winter bring your longjohns. Since I refuse to wear those. It's a good thing I have dri-fit. Thank you Nike for giving me a body hugging alternative. I feel so sexy, sexy (as the hip Korea kids say) in my tight spandex.......... . . . .
If you don't have any longjohns you can buy them here. Don't worry. Just bring some layers. Especially if your 200+lbs and taller than 6ft.You already know it's difficult to find big and tall clothes here. But here's something to add to the mindset of height differences between Americans (Mii guks) and Koreans (hangeuks):

I learned in my class the other day that Koreans draw their snowmen with only two circles. So when I drew my version, 3 circles high, they were all confused.

'Teacher, what that?'

'A snowman.' With unabated confidence.

'We draw snowman onree two.'

'Huh?What?'

She draws the snowman. Head and body only. What a pudgy snowman. My co-teacher looks over the students, 'His snowman drinks a lot of milk.'

Koreans:2 Americans:3. You know us Americans... it's either go big or go home.  Just to throw them off I'm gonna start drawing my snowmen with four circles. 'That's what we call a 'Hans snowman.' Very, very tall and white.'




Since we are on the topic of basketball and I gave a RIP to Sunset Bowl let's give another R.I.P. to a dead Seattle icon....the Sonics.

Let's start this off right.....

Here's a little dedication to Shawn Kemp and the Sonics. Sigh....It's still 'reigning' tears in my heart..........




Next time.....the implosion of the Kingdome.

Notes:

Have I written an article about Korean homogeneous sentiments yet?

This is one constant, interesting theme I have found during my trip. We are definitely 2nd class citizens here.


P.S. try to think of a theme for my SEATTLE Highlights section