So here I am in Kansai Airport...

...checking my mail while I wait for my flight to Seoul, and what pops up on my news screen but word that North Korea is potentially preparing to detonate another nuke.

Guys, please don't blow me up. The airfare and wedding presents were expensive, and I shouldn't be missing this much school and work as it is.

That will be all.

Aaaand approximately 90 minutes later...

...I find myself in Seoul.

Say what you want about the evils of globalisation (which are indeed myriad); this aspect of it rocks.

I'm also kinda going through a weird process which may(?) be culture shock. I've spent almost my entire adult life (and 20% of my life for that matter) in Japan, so moving back this fall...was no different than moving into a new apartment. Seriously, I arrived at Kankuu, hopped on the shuttle to Kyoto and continued living my life. In fact, there might have been less adjustment involved than there was with moving back to the States. Moreover, I've been listening to Japanese as if it were English and reading it as if it were English.

Which is why Seoul is kinda freaking me out, because it's so close to Japan, but just slightly off. I also read sign Korean as if it were Japanese/English, which makes the moments when I run into something I just don't understand all the more jarring. As are the conversations overheard on the subway, which I tune out in the same manner I tune out languages I understand...until I don't understand something. In other words, my listening experience goes something like this:

"Made me wait for 30 minutes at Gwanghwamun xxxxxxxxxxx made it to Starbucks xxxxxx my sister said xxxxx and xxxxxx it xxxxxx it xxxxxx to xxxxxxx won't be until tomorrow.

Which is also actually pretty cool, considering how little time I actually spend listening to Korean.

That will be all.