The Happy Squid

Seems like everyone is sort of laughing about the whole getting lost thing. I think I would find it much more amusing if it were not so annoying. I've been getting around by landmarks and distinctive shops--mostly American stores. For example, on the way to and from school, I pass a large McDonald's across from a 7-11. This is before an overpass with a large Korean war monument on the corner where I turn onto a main street (with no name). Then I walk on this street for awhile, passing a GS 25 (a popular convience store that sells some fantastic sushi things that are quickly becoming one of my favorites). Then I turn by a large Pizza Hut and walk down "Market Street," which is a long row of open air shops of fruits, vegetables, fish in tanks, fish on ice, eel, eel in tanks, eel swimming in bowls, random pig parts, random pig parts in tanks (I read something about it being good luck to put a pig head or a pig hoof in front of a new store for good luck. Thought it was crap, so at the time, I didn't pay much attention to it...), shoe stores, convenience stores, and other random sellers that I never really expected to see or really have wanted to see. Imagine pictures here. Oh, and of course, I cannot forget one of my favorite landmarks of all: the happy squid. This is on the corner of my street and is a welcome sign after I have been lost for any length of time. This is a small restaurant, like most of the places around here, but the sign outside shows a cartoon character of a smiling squid giving a thumbs up.
Funny.
The battle with the cochroaches continues. I spotted the first two assailants last night. I hosed them down with the first thing I could find: I think it was Febreeze (ya know, the label is in Korean, the teacher who lived here before me left it here, it smells pretty good, and the bottle looks a bit like Febreeze). After a couple of assaults, the one scurried away, and other was playing dead.
The war is not over.
This coming from the person who usually would escort a spider outside instead of squishing it.
I washed a spider down the drain this morning.
Yup, Korea is changing me into a cold-hearted killer.
I got to iChat with Mom and Dad and Kate and Finn yesterday--this is the coolest thing. Wow. I miss them. Kate and Finny are leaving next week, and Mom and Dad will be empty-nesters again.
I'm lonely for them.