Bathing Korean style

and so we meet again in this strange internet land. . .where I do all the talking without care or interruption, and you sit intensely on the edge of your seat drooling at my infinite insights and wisdom. . .

. . .didn't you know? in a blog, anything is possible. . .

so, i find myself in a state of total relaxation with my mind a-buzzing. . .about. . .bathing.

Yes bathing.

Now, a few years ago, I watched a week long History channel in-depth analysis of the History of the Bath--it was inspiring, magical, and down right interesting. I, of course, retained a bare minimum of the information. . .the only thing I can recall perfectly is that in the Middle Ages, men and women bathed together, took their time, and were even served meals on floating tables while musicians played. . .of course as my friends would point out this would be the one thing I remember because it contains my four favorite things. . .men, bathing, eating, and music (in no particular order)--however, what really sealed it in my memory is that it was the Middle Ages!--this is a time that seemed to have a dark sinister shadow in the shape of a church cascading across the land. . .of course, the church eventually extended its dirty fingers into this simple practice twisting the customs and contorting them to suit their needs--just like they did with theatre.

and now, I find myself in a convoluted tangent. . .

quick!

take a right turn. . .

now left. . .

flip a bitch. . .

and. . .wait. . .yes. . .whew!

got out of that one just in time. . .

now, back to bathing in Korea. . .

First, let's talk the home shower. There are no doors, no curtains, and no tubs. Every morning, I wake up, push a button for hot water, stumble into the bathroom and turn on the shower. My entire bathroom becomes the shower. . .if I needed to. . .I could shit and shower at the same time. As of yet, I have not needed to, and I don't think anyone ever needs to shit and shower simultaneously, but I do hope I find myself in that position one day. . .Needless, to say, the shower is purely functional. I cleanse. I leave. Cool.

Throughout the week this is fine. I am not one to take my time in the shower--I am there on business only. . however, when Sunday rolls around. . .the day I wash my hair (yes, I wash it once a week, deal with it), this is the day I take my time. Back home in America, this is when body got a total overhaul. . .on Sunday, my bathing turned into a 30 minute self-indulgent cleanse fest. I scrubbed, I scented, I relaxed, and I sang. . .some people go to church on Sundays. . .I get naked and wet.

All this changed when I got to Korea. . .because the bathroom is just so, so, so. . .well, functional. . .there is no tub to lounge, no fan to circulate the moisture, no real water pressure, just nothing conducive to a real Sunday body praising. . .I was fine with this. . .knowing, that in a year's time, I would once again be standing under the best shower in the world. . .however, a couple weeks ago. . .EVERYTHING CHANGED. . .

I was introduced the Jimjabong. . .the Korean bath house. . .

Here is the basic run-down. . .for about $4, you can enjoy, hot tubs, saunas, showers, and steam rooms. . . they are separated by gender and you go in the nude (yes, the nude, you crazy Americans).

Here is a typical day. . .you pay, take an elevator, enter the room, take off shoes, give ticket to lady, she gives you key, you go to locker, strip down, walk into room full of goodness. There are showers to the left and right. . .ahead you find a huge hot tub heated to 38 degrees celsius across from it is another tub with individual "chairs" that have personalized jets. . .next to that a hot tub at 42 degrees celsius. . .then another at 48 degrees celsius. . .then there are three saunas - 74, 64, 43 degrees celsius. . .then individual vanity stations with chairs, showers and mirrors.

The place is scattered with women of all ages and children. . .women are scrubbing women. . .chatting about this and that. . .drinking beer and soda. . .and generally having a good time. . .

No one is hindered. . .or impeded. . .they are just cleaning themselves, each other, and relaxing. It is simply amazing. At the risk of sounding mystic. . .there is a cleansing of body and soul here. . .scrubbing off the dead cells and the annoyances that built up throughout the week.

I hear some of my friends voices. . ."oh that's so unsanitary!" . . . "you know they don't keep that place clean!" . . . "how can you just BE naked in front of everyone?" My question is. . .why is being naked unsanitary? And my other response is. . .being naked is liberating. . .I think Americans would have a lot less body issues if we weren't so lost in our ingrained puritan beliefs.

And of course, we have the whole bath house stereotypes of the 80's. . .but, I won't delve into all that. . .what I will say is this. . .

I know my body is not perfect. . .I've got wobbly bits. . .I've got freckles. . .I've got mosquito bites (ugh!) and currently, I have a huge zit on the side of my huge nose. . .but I don't know. . .I walk into a Jimjabong, slip out of my clothes, and into a warm hot tub bubbling over as people fill the air with laughter and a language that (to me) is almost musical and well, everything yucky washes away. . .

I think everyone should have that moment. . .perhaps, then we will have world peace. That's what I would do if I were president. . .create bath houses all across the land. . .

But for now. . .I will enjoy my local bath house. . .and hope to find a friend that will truly scrub my back while I soak in a hot tub. . .

so, my furry friends. . .my mission to you. . .find a friend, steam up your bathroom, get naked, and soak in a tub. . .enjoy being naked. It's simple.

I feel the need to leave you with some Walt Whitman tonight. . .

"the art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity."

kiss me! I'm blogging!

hello furry friends. . .i do hope your realities and alter-realites are treating you well. . .

mine are good. . .thanks for asking.

so the rain begins. . .

Literally.

The sky has opened, and down comes the rain. Down and down it comes. . when it will stop no one knows. . .and I will have to keep borrowing umbrellas left behind by kids, until it stops, or I decide to stop being cheap and actually buy one.

Cheap. . .this is an interesting concept I've been contemplating, so let's explore it for a moment. I consider myself a conservative spender. Buy the necessities, pay the bills, and save. I don't like to spend money. . .but I have noticed strange idiosyncrasy. . .

I enjoy life (a lot). . .and life, well it takes money. I've never had a lot of money. . .I don't ever plan on having a lot of money. . .like most people I know, I hate money. However, I find that when it comes to actual life. . .I do not allow money to be an obstacle.

I realize this is dangerous. . .but let's consider the facts.

I wanted to go to college. . .no one had the money. . .I made it happen through scholarships and loans.

I wanted to go to New Zealand. . .I had a credit card. . .whilst in NZ I wanted to bungee jump, three jumps in one day that included the tallest jump in the world. . .I had a credit card. . .I wanted to go sledging (look it up). . .I had a credit card. . .I wanted to hike the Milford. . .I had a credit card. . .I wanted to . . . well you get the picture. . .

Did I regret any of those purchases even after I got back and had to work day in and day out while living with my parents to pay them off??. . .Nope. . .I think maybe only a handful of people can say they peed in a port-a-potty on a cliff, in a place called Mullet Bay. . .and yes that moment was worth the grueling hours of making sandwiches at a pretentious eatery called Soby's during the day and catering to rich assholes at night. . .absolutely. . .

This is a simple example. . .but I find things continually happen in which I do not live by my own cheap standards. I think life is supposed to be an experience, and well money, the devil's play thing, helps make those experiences happen. . .BUT. . .

lack of money makes them happen too. . .some of my other best moments in life have been when I had barely any money. . .for instance. . .slept in a hammock right by the ocean on a tiny island called Bastimientos off the coast of Panama for $2 because I had no money. To this day, it is my best sleep ever!

Also, I don't like when people around me are worried about money, so I find myself spending money on their good time. . .because for me, the people around me are what make the experience worth while. . .a shared moment is my favorite type of moment. . .

So this money-life philosophy leaves me always just getting by in the world. I don't own much--books, a computer and knick-knacks from travel--I am always struggling financially. . .

So, I find myself in this interesting situation. . .I am getting paid well, I have a comfortable place to stay. . .bills are being paid, money is being saved, and yet I am not in dire straits (heh-heh, that's a band!). . .I am wondering what to do. Currently, I buy the people around me, who are on budgets, a beer, or two or three. . .and I love doing it.

hmmmmmm. . .no conclusion. . .just an exploration into the cheapness and expenses of my life. . .

is it bad that I don't own anything more than books, a computer and knick-knacks?? It is just me after all. . .and things will change when I am responsible for people other than myself.

I find myself in a funny sort of life. . .who knew. . .the girl who couldn't talk to anyone, who hated to have people even to notice her, and who silently cried the first time she spent the night away from her family would end up in Korea miles away from anyone and anything familiar discussing money on a blog no one really reads. . .

I love my life. I love the people in it. I adore many experiences. I abhor many experiences. It is all grand by me.

Now I ask you. . .do you find yourself in a funny sort life?? Do you find yourself in a funny sort of blog?? I think I know the answer to one of those. . .

So, I leave you tonight with Robert Frost. . .a poet after my own heart. . .

Never ask of money spent

Where the spender thinks it went.

Nobody was ever meant

To remember or invent

What he did with every cent.

Sleep sweet, love hard, and enjoy every excruciating minute of this thing we call life, my fine furry friends.

a walk home. . .prepare for deep thoughts, but not the Jack Handy Kind

so, i walk home down the same alley just about every day.

there is nothing extraordinary about this alley. it is full of cars, trash, and cats. Occasionally, I get honked at while wandering back to my house. I don't mind it so much. I drop off my friends at their place of residence and move on. . .

tonight was different. . .

The reader's digest version. . .things on the "strip" turned out pretty standard. The guys I was with found the people they wanted to go home with. This sentence may sound snide, but it is not meant to sound like that. I appreciate all people and their encounters and the pleasure that ensues because of those encounters. . .I have never been a hater when it comes to physical pleasure. The only reason I mention the hook-ups, is that on seeing this, I realized the time had come for me to wander home. . .and so I did. . .

I stopped at a friend's house where we had conversation and laughter, an then I entered the alley. . .

The first thing I came across was a cat. . .scavenging out of the trash. . .not an abnormal sight in Korea mind you. . .however, I then came across what looked like a bloody piece of string and dirty fabric. Being the person I am, I had to investigate this "something" that seemed so strange in the street. . .upon further inspection, I discovered it was kitten. . .having been run over by a vehicle of sorts. It happens on a daily basis all over the world. . .but this was a fresh kill. . .the colors were still bright, and the fur was still wet.

In this moment I thought of three things. . .

First, damn, that's sad. . .

Second, wow, I am so glad Emilee is not here. . .

Third, hmmm, there is something quite artful in that. . .

That last thought made me stop and think. . .but, since it was almost 5am, I figured, the alley and that kitten didn't deserve my neuron energy, so I went back to humming a song. . .(David Boone's --Pieces of Art--if you must know). . .I admit now, it seems a bit selfish, but what could I do to fix that situation. . .

So I wander. . .

Humming my song. . .

Taking note of street lights, and the reflection of the wet on the pavement and buildings. . .

I am not oblivious to my thoughts on the evening mind you. . .I am taking in the actions of friends and foes and creepers. . .laughing to myself, and enjoying the freedom of my choices. . .then I think to myself, we call them choices, but are they really??. . .we women are silly creatures, we are very smart, but act so dumb. . .I shan't elaborate, but I will say this. . .sometimes, I think the smartest choices we make are when we are in an inebriated state--but only if we have experience to guide us in that moment. . .tonight, as I glanced around this bar full of expats and army assholes, I thought to myself. . .yep, I am here for a year.

In full disclosure and complete honesty, this is my full-on conclusion. .

Korea breeds an incestuous group of people. . .you see, the other night a friend explained that a person in a bar asked him "how long have you been here?" My friend replied, "one month", and the guy said, "good, you haven't been corrupted. Word of advice, don't stay here too long, or you will get weird." I admit, I am embellishing the language, and I did not hear if first hand. . .but I trust my friend, and I feel my language does the situation justice. . .you see. . .

I think that what happens is expats/foreigners latch on to each other in desperation. . .Korean bars feed this desperation by creating watering holes geared specifically towards this isolation and fear--they decorate them with Kurt Cobain, and familiar flags of popular football teams. . .making us feel comfortable and safe. . .playing on our emotions . .

I have no problem with these places. . .I feel they are necessary. I enjoy them, and they make me want to create some sort of international watering hole in every alley of the U.S.

Unfortunately, what happens. . .is these places temporarily quench this desperation by catering to these people of displacement (myself included). . .in this quenching, however, an incestuousness takes over. . .people feed the insecurities of others, which leads to the obsession and passion with others of their own kind, which cultivates an elitism and obnoxious behavior. This elitism causes a disassociation with other people, and hatred towards the locals. People begin to curse the culture and the habits of those around them--it's understandable that cursing happens because you find yourself in a new world and adapting to its habits. . .HOWEVER. . .I find no need in abstaining from the practice of the natural citizens of the current world around me. . .but, I feel we may become incestuous fools out of fear. . .

So tonight I broke away from the pack. . .I said blah to them. . and wandered along. . .had a moment of food and conversation with a friend, and then grabbed my umbrella and walked. . .where i came across a smlattered cat. . .(sorry Emilee, but it's true)

That moment made me think all the previous thoughts--why, probably because I had been partaking in adult beverages, BUT. . .then I hit a major alley intersection. . .and found a man wheeling--yes in a wheel chair--down the hill (my favorite hill in my neighborhood because it is covered with glittered asphalt that sparkles perfectly in the streetlights), and I thought, Wow. . .this doesn't happen every day. . .

In that moment, I remembered . . .I am here to learn, to feed my artistic inclination, and most importantly I am here to take in the world around me. A smlattered cat in the alley and a legless man in a wheel chair are apart of that. . .so. . .

My upstairs neighbor is puking. . .there is a baby crying outside my window, and I hear the faint meow of a cat who needs shelter in the rain. . .So, I will absorb their sounds with this moment of loss in my heart (I feel no need to expand on this point). . .I will remember my purpose, and be grateful for the theatre briefly surfacing in my moment here. . .

and to you, three readers, I impart this knowledge. . .women and men act exactly the same in bars all over the world. . .the music is loud, the alcohol flows, and all of them find a need to connect, but not in any real way. . .

told you I didn't know where this blog was going. . .

so two quotes. . .first lyrics from The Be Good Tanyas - "Promise me we won't go to a night club, I really think it's obscene/what kind of people go to meet people someplace they can't be heard or seen. "

the second. . .only because it is raining. . ."the rain on my car is a baptism, the new me, Ice Man, Power Lloyd, my assault on the world begins now." --Lloyd Dobbler--Say Anything.

sleep sweet furry friends.