Mr. Ppang!

I got a handful of questions from you guys through mom, and I'm happy to have them so here's your answers.
First, One of my classes has started called me Mr. Ppang. Which is the Korean word for bread. Koreans can't keep the difference between Bread and Bret straight. So, if you're keeping track I am now Kil-Dong Ppang. Which translates to Robin Hood Bread. I have an odd Korean name I do.
(Odd little fact Ppang is the Portuguese word for bread-the Spanish word is Pan-the Portuguese brought bread over when they first discovered Korea). Just thought that was funny.

Ok, first, food:
Yes, I get English food all the time. For instance Saturday I had a Big Mac and fries for dinner, then went to Baskin Robins and had a double Cherry Julip Ice Cream cone. Then Sunday was the happiest food day I've had yet. I went to a baseball game with Uncle Paul-the older guy I went hiking with-and then he mentions "I know a place near by with Chicago Pizza" WHA!?! Just two stops away from the baseball stadium!? There's a new giant mall, and in it is a Pizzaria Uno. For those that don't know PU is a common chain in Chicago-it's no Giordano's but man, I was a happy clam. I'm going back in a couple weeks I think. And often after...
So yes, there's all the American food I want. Besides McDonalds/Burger King the other places are quite expensive though. Especially if you want beef(Korea has the most expensive beef in the world). There's a Bennigans, Outback, and TGI Fridays all within walking distance of work, but you're talking $30 for a decent stake, so I don't go there often. There's also Italian food, Japanese food, and Chinese food all around. So, its not all grass and squid all the time...just for lunch at work.
I can also can cook my own western food. There's actually a couple of aisles called "taste of the west" which is usually crummy food-canned soup, tuna, SPAM. But they also have like french fries. Tonight I had sweet and sour pork and french fries for instance.

Next questions:
"What are the girls like?" and "What's the porn/seedy part of life like?"
Ill handle these together. Younger people over here are basically just like young people at home. Obviously they're not all the same, some are crazy and wild, some are overly prudish, some are just right. I would describe American girls pretty much the same. As for looks, some are great looking, some are average looking, some are average.
The seedy side of life is about the same too. The only difference is prostitute houses. They're all over here. Mostly it's for the older men. Here, in the culture of the older people, men usually don't really have any attraction to their wife. Marriages are for convenience-not love.(Also, Korean women age HORRIBLY). So you're average 45 year old man has to get his kicks somewhere. There are little rooms to accommodate that. There's a whole street of them within about 5 minutes of my apartment. They're everywhere. It's not a big deal. They have pink or blue paper covering the windows, claim to be bars, but everyone knows what it is. The more you pay for beer the more "company" you get from the women.
There's also prostitute karaoke rooms. Same deal. The more you pay for the room the more the girls do in the room. It's technically illegal, but it's seen as a necessary evil, so no one does anything.
Again though, it's almost entirely for the older people. The older people have their own culture here-which I can't stand. At all. I HATE Koreans over about 40. REALLY HATE them. I'll write more about it sometime probably.

Next question:
No, I don't eat on the floor. I have a table. You do eat on the floor at some restaurants. If you're in a group of 3 or more they usually sit you on a little table on the floor. It's kind of nice. More relaxing. It's only at meat grill restaurants though, you're average little joint will just have booths like a regular place. I've only sat on the floor 3 or 4 times.
About the meat grill restaurants. Yes, there are places here where there's a grill in the center of your table. You grill your own beef, and it comes with like a dozen side dishes/things you can add to the beef. You don't have your own plate, every thing's dutch style. you wrap the meat and whatever else you want in lettuce and have at it. I like mine with cucumber, carrots, fresh salt, red pepper paste, and some grilled garlic. Very good. Alex and I usually go after work on Friday nights.

Last question:
The weather is almost exactly like Chicago weather in terms of temperature. Most days are in the upper 70's right now. It never storms. I've heard thunder once, and it was a big deal to the kids when they heard it. It just rains. Usually about once a week right now. It rains almost every day in July/August though during the afternoon. There's also dust problems from sand coming over from the Gobi, but that's usually in the early spring and is over now.

That's enough for now.

Thursday is Buddha's Birthday. Big holiday. I'm going to probably go to a lunch feast at a temple, then shopping in the traditional markets, and finish the day with the big parade in the city. I'm looking forward to it.

I can't think of too much else right now. I really liked getting questions though, so if you have anymore, please ask! I much prefer answering questions to writing on my own(It's a lot easier!)

Annyongi Khesayo!