We foreigners are EXTREMELY blessed to have a wondeful International Clinic here.  The doctors are professional and very efficient.  And it’s sooo much cheaper than going to a doctor in the States (unless you have wonderful health insurance as I did, working for the City).

I had to go in for a minor little procedure today, and the surgeon was so great. First, she said that she didn’t want to give me even local anesthesia because she said that procedure alone would mean more needle pricks and additonal pain.   So we agreed that I would endure the pain.  Next, she explained everything as she did it.  “Now I am rubbing betadine solution” “now, this is going to feel like a really bad mosquito bite. if you want, you can grab onto Dilbar’s (local medical assistant) arm” (OH MY GOODNESS, it was 10x worse than a bad mosquito bite, and poor Dilbar)  “now, i will squeeze out the pus.” (she then showed me the cotton with said pus. I nodded appreciatively.)  “now, I am squeezing out more pus and blood“ (more cotton showing) ”I know it hurts, and I’m sorry”  “almost done” ”okay, that’s it!  just 2 more seconds” “finished!” For me, it was really nice, having all this information and encouragement.  There was a point when I wasn’t answering her because I was trying to go to my “happy place” because of the pain, and she said worriedly “hello, are you still with us?  hello?  hello?”

I also think going to the doctor when you don’t have something serious is really helpful, because to a lay person, something big and painful = cancer, but you go to the doctor and they say “eh, that’s just a mosquito bite”, and that makes me feel better, since they’ve seen it all.  Thank God for good doctors!

Similarly, I have been told that I am a very good patient/medical specimen.  For example, when my dentist in NYC found out that I was leaving the City to come here, he, the dental hygenist, and the receptionist all lamented “oh, that’s too bad.  you’re one of our favorite and best patients” (and I wasn’t even PAYING the guy).  When I have given blood, the nurses have remarked “oh, you have great veins” and “wow! look at how quickly that bag filled up!” and “wow, you’re very calm for someone who’s giving blood for the first time” (okay, so maybe they say that to everyone, but still…)

A girl’s gotta find something to be proud of!

Underlined parts dedicated to melviszone

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I hadn’t watched this movie in a long time. It’s really a stupid stupid movie with a few brilliant shining moments.  John Cusack is so funny in it, as is the guy who plays his sidekick.  The “I want my two dollars” line is so overplayed, and I prefer the more subtle exchange that the French exchange student and John Cusack have: “Oh, zat Rickee.  All he vants to do..iz… how to say… put hiz testicles allz overz me” “WHAT??” “Jhou know…like ze…oc-to-pus?” ”oh, you mean tentacles, teNTacles…teNt.. an entirely different thing”

TAGGED by my sister, Nam Nam.  Though I have to say that Chaerim’s habits are more like pet peeves, not habits.

I couldn’t think of five weird habits, so here are six-eight non-to semi-weird habits:
1. I have to drink coffee every morning.  With a shot of whiskey.  JOKE!
2. I check email obssessively. If that yellow envelope appears at the right corner of my screen, I HAVE to check it right away. And then I do a little dance like Napoleon.
3. I like to read in bed.  While making pottery. 
4. I lose things regularly.  Like my cell phone.  And my hearing. 
5. I like to cut out things from magazines – New Yorker cartoons, pictures, ads – or print out scenes from movies – using the photo capture feature on Intervideo DVD – and paste them on my walls (see pics below)  One of my friends called it “geeky”.  I guess it is since I’m 30 years old, not 13. 
6. I can be extremely absent-minded about some things and extremely on-the-ball about other things. 
For example, absent-minded:  I bought a short telephone line so that I could connect my computer to the internet in my living room. The telephone line, being short, was a bit taut.  I walked out of the room, looking for something, and then when I came back, I tripped over the dang-blasted telephone line, BREAKING IT!!!! 
7. On the ball: Posting a comment on someone’s Xanga about 35 times. On purpose, of course.  Brilliant.

Here are some of the pics I have up in my apartment:

The reactions on their faces are SO funny.  Especially the Pirate, aaargh! This is on my fridge.  “don’t open this fridge!!!”

Also on my fridge, from the New Yorker.   So clever.

In my kitchen.  Scenes from my favorite movie, Babette’s Feast.

Cool illustrations, again, from the New Yorker.  I love the bottom one. 

Can you tell this is a British ad?  This is on my bedroom door.  “Warning: anyone wishing to enter must bring with him a rather large shrimp.”

In my kitchen.

Another picture from the same movie as the first picture… who knows which movie??

What I ended up doing this weekend:

• ate delicious Indian food with a group of foreigners.  One guy’s girlfriend arrived a few days ago.  She will live in the town he’s working in until he leaves at the end of the year. It was fun to meet her.  She’s British, so of course, I loved listening to her talk.


• finished watching season 4 of SATC.  Those of you who have seen this show know what it is.  Its “sexiness” gets old by the time you get to season 4 and instead, it’s fun to watch the friendships of the four women, their clothes, and to hear them talk about being single. A nice break for me and my single girl friends.


• studied Russian.  The article was supposed to be a humorous one about smoking.  It was kind of silly, not humorous.


• went to a birthday party for a local friend of mine. it was held at the church and was kind of a like a talent show, i.e. people went up and sang for her, played the violin, read poems.. I sang “Shout to the Lord” for her and she was pleased. It was an unusual birthday party. But i did get to meet a Korean-German local girl named Svetlana.  (note: many local Koreans here seemed to be named Svetlana… so isn’t it strange that my American name, Lana, is so close to that?  it was my DENSITY* to be here, I guess) *misspelled purposely as an ode to a line from a certain movie – can you guess which one?


• ate osh with my neighbor and her children while her husband and her husband’s brother sat in the other room.  it was more comfortable for me to be with just her and the kids, actually.  we can talk more freely and her husband doesn’t monopolize our conversation. she was telling me that she heard for the first time about the torture that some prisoners and “criminals” are subjected to here.


• 
  
  went to the foreigner garage sale, which was not so good.  But I was able to find TWO books which had been recommended to me by two of my favorite people here:

The Great Omission, by Steve Saint
The Good News about Injustice

New Profile Pic: Another tribute to New Orleans – Cafe Du Monde, the best best best best best best!!!!! 
I could eat these beignets and cups of cafe au lait until I dropped dead of a heart attack.  And then I would want them served at my funeral.  (Okay, so not very appropriate since we are talking about 1,000 dead because of this hideous storm… ).. but anyway, I love you, New Orleans!

Also, check out my sister’s site for a cool fundraiser for the Big Easy – www.xanga.com/ckimchi. 

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Why studying Russian is like seppuku (Japanese samurai suicide), reason #2,245,354:

The word “friend” changes depending on if you have 1 friend, 2-4 friends, or 5 or more friends. 
The word “friend” is the same if you have “5 or more” friends, or if you have ”not very many” friends. 

WHAT SENSE DOES THAT MAKE???? NONE AT ALL. RUSSIAN, YOU STINK!!! (waving my fist in the air)
I WILL conquer you.

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Weekend plans: 
Friday — work, then worship practice, then hanging out with foreigners.
Saturday – a foreigner garage sale (under sad circumstances – the father was deported; they’ve been here for 7 years – and now they have to leave); then resting/studying Russian/hanging with my neighbor; then a birthday party where I’ve been asked to sing a song (?!?). 
Sunday — International church; then a potluck. Studying Russian.  Hanging out with my neighbor. Etc, etc.

What are YOU doing this weekend?

 

HAPPY BELATED 56th Birthday to my momma, Sonia!

A beautiful, loving mother with crazy fashion sense, a fun sense of adventure, and the only person in our family with sanka pills.

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WARNING: Long, serious ramblings up ahead. If you want fluff, scroll to the bottom.

I am a Patriot

Koooooorea
I was happy to read about N. Korea’s decision (okay, more like, intent) to stop its nuclear program. I found an interesting article on CNN about one reporter’s experience in Soviet Russia and later, in North Korea – interesting similarities!  I don’t think about North Korea very often, even though my dad  is from there, but there are millions of people starving. Nobody knows for sure, since it’s such a closed country.  Of course, the mighty Soviet Union fell, so I have hope that this crazy loony will fall apart as well, though it might be some cataclysmic event that opens the borders.  I need to remind myself to keep praying for North Korea and its people.  Hurricane Katrina hit most of us so hard because these were US citizens suffering.  Shouldn’t I be crying out for my people and feel just as concerned about North Koreans?  What do you think, Korean-American Xanga Reader (aka 99.9% of my Xanga readers).

AMERICA
Last friday night, I went out with two of my close foreign friends. One is a fellow American and the other, a Norwegian.  Both of us Americans love America but also acknowledge the mistakes and missteps American foreign policy has made … and the Norwegian, ever gracious and sensitive, said that he sometimes felt sorry for us Americans.  We’re such an easy target for criticism and as Americans dominate the foreign scene here (and probably in most other countries as well), many foreigners (not locals) resent us for our American thinking, ideals, culture, etc, etc.    I’ve always felt that America is “damned if we do, damned if we don’t”.  But in the end, even with all the stupid mistakes we’ve made, I’m really glad that we have a general sense of responsibility for what goes on in the world.  When we don’t get involved in places we should have (Rwanda), we feel a sense of shame.  Of course, when we get involved in places where maybe we should not have (Vietnam; Iraq), we feel a sense of shame as well.  

EU.  P-U?
The Norwegian and I started having a bit of a heated debate as we talked about the EU and why Norway doesn’t want to join. I argued that since rich countries lose while poor countries win, what was the point of the EU, because, let’s face it – does FRANCE really care about the CZECH REPUBLIC?   Indirectly, I was trying to say that European countries seem very… selfish… and therefore, the EU seems like a futile exercise. 

I think Europe, in general, should be more active in their side of the world.   Maybe I don’t know enough about European politics, but it seems that they talk a lot, debate, try to negotiate… but don’t really… act. I mean, shouldn’t THEY be concerned with what’s going on in the Middle East, Iran, Iraq, the Sudan, Rwanda… ?  They are so much closer than we are and seem to have more at stake.   Of course, they could say that Americans act too quickly, rashly, cowboy-ishly… and I agree… but at least we do something.. (even if that “something” means taxpayer-funded presidential assassinations; arming Osama bin Laden; financing Islamic extremists and S. American rebels/druglords)

YEAH, GO TEAM AMERICA!!! (anyone seen this movie?  It’s absurd and brilliant and ridiculous and disturbing.  But generally funny.)

I also think all Americans should be required to live abroad for awhile. I think this would profoundly change the direction of American foreign policy. 

Can you tell that I have a totally dysfunctoinal, love/hate relationship with America?

Bono
Whatever you think about Bono, I think what he says about America here is so true and just..so… nice!  He’s definitely one active European:  “Me, I’m in love with this country called America. I’m a huge fan of America, I’m one of those annoying fans, you know the ones that read the CD notes and follow you into bathrooms and ask you all kinds of annoying questions about why you didn’t live up to that.. I’m that kind of fan. I read the Declaration of Independence and I’ve read the Constitution of the United States, and they are some liner notes dude. As I said yesterday I made my pilgrimage to Independence Hall, and I love America because America is not just a country, it’s an idea. You see my country, Ireland, is a great country, but it’s not an idea. America is an idea, but it’s an idea that brings with it some baggage, like power brings responsibility. It’s an idea that brings with it equality, but equality even though it’s the highest calling, is the hardest to reach. The idea that anything is possible, that’s one of the reasons why I’m a fan of America. It’s like hey, look there’s the moon up there, lets take a walk on it, bring back a piece of it. That’s the kind of America that I’m a fan of.”

Short, frivolous rambling

I made mac-n-cheese FROM SCRATCH with EDAM CHEESE.  It was pretty decent, but a little dry. I know how to make it better next time.  I also made Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars!  YUM YUM YUM.  Would probably never bother to make either of these things in the States. 

 

Why studying Russian is like seppuku (Japanese samurai suicide), reason #2,245,353:

The word “lunch”, for example, changes depending on whether you say BEFORE lunch or AFTER lunch.

WHY?  WHY is that necessary?

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Excellent chick flick by an excellent director, Ang Lee.    His range of movies is impressive:

The Wedding Banquet

The Ice Storm

Eat Drink Man Woman

The Hulk (didn’t see it)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Note on new profile pic: that’s a picture of Preservation Hall, in New Orleans.  I went to New Orleans with my family in December 2003 before I came here.  We had a GREAT time and the live music at Preservation Hall was AMAZING.    So, this is a mini-tribute to N’awlins.  We want and need you BACK!  How can we lose the birthplace of Jazz??

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What to write about?

Should I write about the fact that I have watched three movies in the last two days?   (Anchorman – hilarious; Bring it On – classic; Rear Window – a REAL classic)  Yes, I did, drtaekim.  Hey, look at gnusharas… she watched a whole TV SEASON in like, two days!

Should I write about how I was pleasantly surprised to find people here who… read the New Yorker… are thoughtful, thinking, giving, grace-filled, non-religious Christians (as we should be)…have amazing stories about why they decided to come here…enjoy good food, wine, and conversation…love to partay…are deliberate about the way they live…

Should I write about the time I spent with my Uzbek neighbor, who got married one month after meeting her husband, has two kids under the age of three… cooks, cleans, takes care of her household cheerfully… and is starting to teach English to the kids in our apartment building…

Should I write about Let Go, by Frou Frou, a really beautiful song…

Should I write about how I miss my family (Nam & Chamsky)… it makes me happy that soon they will be both be in NYC!

Should I write about how the Pet Shop Boys totally reminds me of junior high and fun times with jo1776….

Should I write about how I’m ashamed of melviszone for trying to find real NO food in NYC?  Actually, there is one place called BAYOU, up in Harlem… the “gentrified” part, i.e. around 125th Street…i ate there a few times.. YUMMY!  http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0327,sietsema,45202,15.html

Should I write about how I lost my cell phone for the fourth time and thankfully, the driver of the taxi I left it in brought it back….

Should I write about how the gov’t here is shutting down NGOs, one by one…

Should I write about how my Russian still sucks…

Should I write about how I haven’t had an Uzbek lesson in a looooong time and have forgotten everything already…

Should I write about how I’ve been researching the following things on the internet: how to recycle plastic; how to make soy wax; where to buy soy wax…

Or should I just not do a Xanga entry at all?  Too much pressure.

Xanga Tag (courtesy of AbFab2theMax) 1. Number of books I own: ?? A lot.  Ckimchi knows. 2. Last book I bought: I don’t remember.  It was back in the States. 3. Last book I completed: Lenin’s Tomb by David Reminick 4. books that mean a lot to me: the Bible; Mere Christianity; They made the Road by walking; Discipling the Nations; Spiritual Leadership; Inside Out; the Basics and the New Basics (cookbooks); Dogs (a catalog of dogs- used to read it every night before I went to bed) 5. What I’m currently reading: Bad habit, reading so many books at once, but: The End of Poverty (J. Sachs) Ghost Wars Globalization and its discontents the Bible 6. TAG! drtaekim, koreanhalfling, gnusharas, ckimchi, gokingsgo

My weekend:

Saturday:

11:30am – GOT UP!  (I know, I’m such a lazy butt. I didn’t even go to sleep that late)

12:30pm – Went to pay my phone bill.

12:45pm – Hopped on a bus to go to a Korean bazaar.  Got on the wrong bus.

2:00pm – Got to the Korean bazaar. Looked around.  Didn’t buy anything.

4:00pm – Had lunch/dinner at Golden Wing, Turkish chicken restaurant.

6:00pm – Watched Friends; edit: the movie Emma; did some other things…

1:00am – Went to bed

Sunday:

10:00am – Church.  Bought these cute Uzbek dolls made by Uzbek ladies for income generation.

12:15pm – Lunch with Norwegian family at Italian rest.

2:00pm – small nap

4:00pm – coworker/friend and kids come over.  We made candles.  They were a really funky color, but they turned out okay.

The one to the far right is from Fresh.  We’ll keep experimenting.

6:00pm – ate tofu, spinach, rice.. for dinner.  Then watched the classic 80s, John Hughes movie – Some Kind of Wonderful!  Some of the dialogue is funny, and Candice Cameron (of Full House fame) is HI-larious in it as Eric Stolz’s youngest sister. I love Eric Stolz in this movie.  I don’t know why they picked Leah Thompson as the “pretty, popular but poor” girl.  She’s not that attractive. 

There are many ridiculous and random aspects about living here.  But over time, they become normal to me. 

What’s weirdest about living here is how modern, and yet, not so modern this place is.

Here is my usual dinner set up.  Okay, so usually,  I don’t eat scrambled eggs for dinner, but I wanted something quick with protein. 
See the jam on the top of the picture? I made that!  Raspberry! (really really simple to make)

This non is from Namangan.  My neighbor’s relatives came to visit and they brought TONS of it. (that’s a tradition)

So she gave me one.  It’s different from Tashkent non… harder, and not as yummy, I think.  But kind of pretty. And as big as my face!

Most of you know (firsthand) that I HATE CLEANING. I hate it hate it hate it hate it hate it.

Anyway, here are some of my cleaning tools, when I’m forced to clean.  I realized how… primitive they looked just recently. 

That’s my “mop”… the precursor to “Swiffer wet”.  I just push a cloth around with this stick. 

And here’s my broom. It’s made from… reeds or something. I really like this broom, actually.
I feel like it sweeps better than those plastic ones we have in the States.

Sometimes, the names of things are pretty random.
This is ice cream called “1001 nights” (as in, 1001 Arabian nights..)  So dramatic!
Look at that elaborate cartoon drawing!

The perfumes are the FUNNIEST. 
Here’s one someone gave me as a present.  It’s “haute couture”.

And I’m saving this one for my future husband.