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The endless rice fields, plots, and paddies in and around Gongju are turning from green to gold. It's more beautiful than I can describe without being really cheesy.

Today my coteacher was wearing a plaid brown, orange, and navy blue asymmetrical skirt with no hem (there were strings of varying lengths dangling around her legs), a pink shirt with an unbelievably long torso, a delicate white shrug with little flowers on it, a striped headband, baby blue hamster socks, and--best of all--a gigantic cotten backless vest with two drooping sacklike folds in the front and a huge limp grey bow in the middle. She always wears crazy Asian girl outfits, but today, combining the shrug with the backless vest really took her to a new level.

Also today I went to Seoul to get my visa. I had really been dreading the trip--but magically I managed to figure out the subway (and subway/underground mall/labyrinth entrance and exit areas) and the ES Tour offices (no sign, on the 6th floor of a random building). Somehow I intuitively knew which way to go and where to turn, and it always turned out to be exactly right. I even retraced my steps perfectly on the way back. This might not sound all that impressive for a normal person...but since I still can't reliably get anywhere in the greater Portland area other than DHS, Tom Allen's office, the cousins', and the McCue's house, I was wicked proud of myself.
While I was in Seoul I made friends with a kimbap lady and she gave me my second roll of kimbap for free (I think I am developing a severe addiction) and had yogurt and delicious Lotteria cheese sticks as a reward for doing so well...and now I'm in a really good mood and all ready for China!