greetings and salutations, friends. i chose to kick-off my foray into the blogosphere with this assertive photo. first, it should give you a sense of how things work here in Seoul, ROK. second, it should set the tone for the posts to come.

faint of heart, beware.



caption: accessory store in Seoul's Itaewon area. Itaewon is Disneyland for expatriates. if you are in a foreign country but hate the idea of being away from home, then this is a place you frequent. like epcot's world showcase, itaewon is a pastiche of foreign kitsch.








do you want to pay 15 USD for a taco? come here. would you like to see people from all over the world shelling out for overpriced tchotchkes? itaewon's your spot. need a break from reality and just want to feel like you are a tourist on vacation? swing on by. and just like disney world, in some places, you needn't even use the native currency. in all fairness, quality leather goods are supposedly available here at good prices...but you don't have to take my word for it.