A Joke ジョーク

I told Avram I didn't have a nice picture for my last blog entry. Then he said, "A picture is worth a thousand words, but a thousand well written words are worth more than a picture. Yours is like that."

He is good at making people happy.

We went walking as usual in the evening. He sometimes tells me jokes. American jokes have a different sense of humor from Japanese ones, so I usually don't get them.

Yesterday he told me this joke.

Two Indians went hunting and discovered a spirit. The spirit granted them each a wish. The first wished to be the smartest man in the world and his wish was granted. The second said he wanted to be smarter than the smartest man in the world. The spirit turned him into a woman.

I got it very easily because I see it between us:) 

I'm kidding.

「昨日のブログに使えそうな写真がなかったんだ。」とアブちゃんに言ったら、「『写真は千の言葉より価値があるけど、千のいい文章は写真よりも価値がある。』君のブログはそれと同じ。」

彼は人に自信を与えたり幸せにしたりすることが上手です。

夕べもいつものように散歩に出かけました。アブちゃんは時々ジョークを教えてくれますが、アメリカンジョークは日本のユーモアとはちょっと違うので私は時々理解できません。

昨日のはこういうのでした。

２人のインディアンが狩りに出かけ妖精を見つけました。妖精はそれぞれの願いを叶えてやることにしました。１番目の男の願いは世界で１番賢い男になること、そしてそれは叶いました。次の男は世界で１番賢い「男（man）」よりも賢い「人（man）」になること、そしてそれは叶えられました。その男は女になりました。

このジョークは簡単に理解できました。なぜって私たち２人みたいだから。

冗談です。

Our placement test （韓国語レベルテスト）

Avram and I had a placement test for our Korean class last night.  We know our level is really beginner's, but the office said we should take the test.

At the beginning of the test, one woman explained about the test and the schedule for the new semester in Korean.  We couldn't understand at all.  While she was talking, Avram was practicing "Hello" in Korean to me many times.  I was pretty sure it wouldn't be in the test.  I was right.

We can read Korean, but don't understand the meanings.  I tried to understand and solve the questions.  Avram was doing something next to me.  I saw him.  He was drawing a picture on the sheet.  I thought my husband is smart because he was answering the test for a long time, but he wasn't.  I mean he wasn't solving the question.

After we finished the test, I saw his paper.  I was shocked.  He was ordering the numbers to each questions.  For example, he answered 1 to Q.1.  A.2 is for Q.2.  Then he answered 25 to Question 25 even if we had only four alternative.

We want to learn basic Korean to understand it better, so he didn't try to do the test hard.  I think we don't have to worry we will go to the intermediate class because of our poor Korean, but I took the exam seriously.

Now Avram worries I have to go to the Intermediate class if my guessing worked and I got a good grade.  I am just worried that Avram and I get the same points even if he enjoyed drawing and I answered seriously.

When he gave his test sheets to the woman, she saw the picture and was surprised.  She opened her small eyes as big as she could and said good-bye to us.  Her face drawn with the shock.

Our class will start at seven in the evening next Monday.  I hope we'll be in the same room and Avram won't fall asleep after 8:30 pm.

昨夜は韓国語のレベルテストがありました。初心者だとわかってはいても、実力把握のために試験を受けるように言われ行ってきました。

試験について韓国語で説明がありましたが２人ともさっぱりわからず、顔を見合わせて笑うしかありませんでした。その間も、アブちゃんは「アニョハセヨ」を何度も私に向かって練習していました。私がそれはテストに出ないと言ってもそればかりもごもご唱えていました。

テストはチンプンカンプンでどうしようもありませんでしたが、とりあえず解きました。隣を見るとアブちゃんも何かしています。よく見ると解答用紙の裏に落書きをしていました。それはやがて４分の１の範囲に及ぶほどに大きなものになっていました。黙々と解いて賢い夫だと安心したのも束の間、試験中力が抜けてしまいました。

試験が終わり、彼の解答用紙を見てさらに衝撃が走りました。たくさん回答してあると思ったそれは、なんと順番よく数字をふってあるだけだったのです。たとえば、問題１の答えは１、問題２の答えは２、問題２５の答えは２５。たとえ選択肢が４までしかなくても、答えは２５らしいのです。

彼は初心者のクラスで２人で一緒に勉強したいからまじめに試験を受けなかったらしいですが、それは無用な心配だと思います。彼の心配は私だけが中級クラスにいかないかということ、私の心配は遊んでいた彼とまじめに解いた私の点数が同点になりはしないかということです。

問題と解答用紙を試験監督の女性に手渡すとき、彼女がアブちゃんの落書きを眼にして衝撃のあまりその細い瞳をできる限り見開いて驚いた表情をしていたことを私は見逃しませんでした。アブちゃんは完全に見逃していました。

来週の月曜日からクラスは始まりますが、２人同じクラスであることとアブちゃんが８時半になったら居眠りをしださないことだけを願ってやみません。

DVD Bang

I have mentioned before that the Korean word "Bang" means room. We have used computers in a PC Bang and slept on the heated floor of a Jjim Jil Bang. Today, was chilly and rainy, so we went to a DVD Bang. 

In the DVD Bang, you can choose a movie to watch and then go into your own private room to watch it. The room had a good sound system and a big projector video screen. The couches were comfortable. Next to the couch, I saw a control that said "Sound." I pushed some buttons on it, but it turned out to be a sonic massager deep in the couch. The bass massage on my back reminded me of riding around in my friends cool cars in high school when they took out the back seat to make room for their giant speakers. 

The room only cost about $7. It was cheaper and more enjoyable than the movie theater. It was more like watching a movie in your own comfortable living room, if you had a big TV.  And you don't have to clean up afterwards.

The Huge Mountain

One of the many things I like about Korea is the profusion of outdoor shops and local brands. There are plenty of Columbia, Patagonia, and The North Face stores in Busan. There are also lots of K2, OK Outdoors, and Kolon sports stores - Korean brands. 

They also don't seem so concerned with copyright laws here. We have seen fake Dunkin Donuts and fake Starbucks shops. 

The North Face is a particularly popular brand to wear, and to knock off. We have seen 'The Red Face' and 'The Black Face' brand jackets. Yesterday, we saw my favorite 'North Fake' - the jacket label said 'The Huge Mountain' and was complete with the three nested arcs that The North Face uses as its symbol.

The coolest little arcade in Korea

During our street wanderings on Saturday, we found the coolest little arcade in Korea.

Screaming from the kitchen

Last December I was so excited to be cooking at home after one month of hotel life.

One day I was looking forward to making white rice. I can't live without WHITE rice. One of my American friends gave me a rice cooker made in Japan because she couldn't read the directions. I was very happy to have it.

I was using it that day. I plugged in, then it made noise and sparked. I said, "Uh ooh" to myself. I remembered Avram told me we have to use a transformer for our electrical appliances. I couldn't give up about white rice, so I tried again with the transformer. This time the rice maker jumped, made louder noise, and smoked. I was surprised, so I jumped with it too. I smelled something burning. It was my beautiful rice maker.

When I told about it, Avram said "Lucky you. If it was a hair dryer, your head would get burnt." Oh, no! Then I would have a burned head like in a comedy show. I don't want to die with that hair style.

I make rice in pots now, but you know I can't succeed every time. I often smell something is burning.

Officially Avram and I don't have any secrets, but I did this week.

Last week I was going to get sour cream, but I bought cream cheese by mistake. Even if we ate it everyday, it was a lot for two of us. I decided to make a cheese cake which I don't need a oven because we can't use our American gas oven here. I used a pan. It worked for a while. It smelled good, but it was ugly when I opened the cap of the pan. It looked like vomit. I was sad to see it even if the taste was good, so I didn't tell we have the cheese cake to Avram.

Today we got hungry, but didn't have enough food at home. Finally I had to ask him if he wants the vomit. Of course, he said yes. I made him close his eyes and eat them. He liked it.
Yes, he is good at making me happy.

The other day, I heard a man was yelling or shouting outside even if I was on the 11th floor. Aman was there and a woman was bringing her knives from her place and asked him to sharpen them. We needed to do that too, so I brought him our knives. After he finished sharpening them, I asked "How much?"in Korean. I heard "$10.5, "but I was not sure if it was $15 or $10.5. I showed $15, then he took it and said thank you. Hmmm..., I was wrong. I should have asked how much it was again and again. I told it to my Korean friend. She said that was too expensive and gave me advice I should give $5 (cheaper money) first and leave there.

In Korea you often see shops that don't show or put prices on their stuff. Every time I go shopping, I learn how to shop in this country.

Avram sometimes hears my screaming from the kitchen when I make mistakes or get shocked. He sometimes calls me to ask if I am all right with the house work from his office. He's scared of my life as a home maker.

Don't we talk at home? 家で会話しないの？

Avram, thank you very much for telling people about me in your longest blog.  Probably they can wonder if we talk to each other at home.

Here's my quick response.

I don't know even the word "feminine wiles".  How did I do it to him then?  Avram can say I was charming to him at that time, hehehehe:)

When Avram saved my life at the beach on our first date, I was tired from surviving the rough waves.  He looked like a prince on a white horse. 

We have never argued or fought since we met.  Who imagined we do them in our blogs?  Technology sometimes messes up people's lives.

Avram, I'm still okay.  I will cook for you today.  Don't worry.

アブちゃん、あなたの１番長いブログの中でわたしのことを書いてくれてありがとう。多分、みんな私たちが家で会話してないんじゃないかときっと不思議に思っているはず。

アブちゃんのブログに対抗して

私はfeminine wilesという言葉すら知らないのに、どうやって彼に女性らしいモーションをかけられるでしょう？アブちゃんは正直に私が魅力的だったと言えばいいのに。

アブちゃんが初めてのデートで私の命を助けたとき、私は強い波から逃れるのに疲れ果てていたから、彼が白馬に乗った王子様に見えました。

私たちは出会ってから１度も言い争いや喧嘩をしたことがありません。誰が今頃になってそれをブログ内でするなんて想像したでしょう？技術の進歩というのは人の人生をもまた惑わせるものです。

アブちゃん、まだ大丈夫。今日はまだ料理してあげるつもりだから、今のところ心配しないで。