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Table of Contents
Week 6
What I learned in Korea
This week I learned why eating together is such an important part of Korean culture. Most of the day people are working, and though there are some interactions between co-workers it is all mostly related to work. It is almost looked down on to talk about personal things during working hours. This is where eating and drinking together comes in. When you go out with a co-worker you aren't just going out to eat with them, you are going out to bond with them on a personal level. This is why there are so many places available to sit down and talk in Korea. Most stores have ample seating to fit a lot of customers with many going out onto the street. Almost all of the convenience stores I have seen have had some sort of seating section where it is possible to sit down and talk.
Project status
We finished the rough drafts of the first 6 tutorials on PODO and how to intergrate it with Gazebo and HUBO. We are planning to finish up the final versions of them this week and finish the rough drafts of the more advanced tutorials as well.
Photo of the week
This is a picture that one of my Korean friends (Haneul) took of us while we were waiting for our food at a restaurant that served brunch. I had been craving eggs Benedict for a while and thanks to some of my foodie Korean friends I was able to satisfy that craving. P.S. The photo was taken with a Korean app that is supposed to make your face look prettier (as shown by Haneul's face) but it refused to work on mine. Thus my grumpy face.
What I learned about myself
I have spent a significant portion of my life away from 'home' and had believed until now that I couldn't get home sick. But recently I have began to miss western food and being able to drive around in my car. I never knew how integral driving had become in my life in America. Though being able to use public transportation to get places is great and saves money and the environment, I truly miss the freedom that I had with my car. Though this may not seem like being home sick, this is the first I have ever truly missed something that I had in another country.
New People I met this week
This week I met Charlie and Jason. Both who gave me their English names.