Here Comes the Sun

After a predominantly rainy month, the weather has been clear for the past two weeks and the weather is a constant 75-80 degrees. Pura vida! It's been a bit windier than usual, now if only I had some time to go rent a windsurfer to take out (can't imagine anyone wanting to check that out though). The Sand Festival and the Busan International Dance Festival start this next Friday and the timing couldn't be better.
But I digress from why I wanted to write today, I was sitting in the bar tonight and thinking about all of the cultures that converge in this city as I am surrounded by a plethora of languages. Within fifteen feet of each other I can hear groups or couples from around the world conversing about any number of topics. There are the Korean and Japanese businessmen discussing the day, behind me I can hear the Germans and Norwegians in town for the climate change conference, a group of English teachers from America, England, Scotland and Australia are playing pool and off in a booth are a couple of Russian boat captains. This is not an unusual evening here, if I see an evening without five different languages being spoken I am extremely surprised. I wish I had picked up some of the ole Sven and Ole dialects because they sure would come in handy with quite a number of regular patrons, both Norwegians and Danes that frequent this establishment (sorry grandpas, I picked Russian).
People come here for so many different reasons, whether they are here on business or just vacationing, the reasons and philosophies never cease to amaze and amuse me. I was talking to a Canadian friend of mine today and he was telling me how he met this guy from NYC who came over primarily because he felt persecuted living in the states as a smoker and wanted to be in a place where it was socially acceptable. Another friend of mine, just moved back to Korea for the third time and is some high up officer within a shoe company that has its production based out of Korea and China. The main reasons people come to Korea are desire to travel and live in another culture, lack of jobs, relatively easy way to pay off student loans, or they are running from the law, like this guy I've heard about that is here teaching in order to not give alimony to his ex (that's not gonna turn out good).
That's about all I've got to say right now, I'm pretty tired and think I'm gonna turn in for the night. I hope everyone had a phenomenal Memorial Day and are enjoying the beautiful change in season over there as well. Until we chat again. Annyong.
~c