I've decided not to contact Robert again until I am confident that I can do so without fretting over his reply. The last time I sent him an email, I held my breath for a week waiting for him to respond, until I couldn't take it anymore and just called him. Nonetheless, there are certain things that I need to express, and here is as good a place as any.

Robert,

I was thinking about you a lot today, and thought it would be nice to touch base. There are so many things in Korea that you would love. I expect to get an apartment off campus within a year, so maybe you would like to visit. You could do so for very little (you cheapskate) except for the ticket, and stay in my apartment while I am working.

One thing that you would plotz over is how cheap it is. I ate a feast yesterday for 5,000 Won (about 5 bucks) at a restaurant. A stack of bulgoki, two soups, and five side dishes. It's even cheaper to eat at noodle stand on the street, and they are everywhere. 2500 won will get you full, no prob, and 500 won for a corn dog (heh) or a kebab later. I love going to Seomun market in Daegu, which covers five or six city blocks for three stories. housewares, clothes, fabric, food, it's like a giant cheap department store where you can haggle. Heaven.

Another thing that I think you would love is the jimjjilbang. It's a fancy sauna, and costs about 5000 won for the day. There are dozens of rooms, each at a different temperature, from 70 celsius, to below freezing. Some have steam, some have Rooibos pumped into the air, some have televisions running, some are burning mesquite, it's a theme park of relaxation. Of course, the male floors are nude, and the coed floors are clothed--your exhibitionism would be well-sated. There are massage rooms (for an extra fee) or vendors who will scrub the shit out of your skin with what seem to be brillo pads, leaving it baby smooth. I especially love the waterfall showers, which are so powerful they almost knock one over. The best part is that there are sleeping areas, in case one doesn't feel like springing for a hotel room, and they are open 24 hours. It's like a $5 hotel room--kinda--and they are everywhere.

I've been thinking about you in other capacities too. I feel like our parting was weird, and I could have handled it better. Aren't departures supposed to be weepy and emotional? Did I cheat us out of that? I'm not regretful about my decisions, but I worry that the way I executed them may have injured the opportunity for us to remain friends, which makes me really sad. Am I making this up? Probably. there is a lot of spare time out here, and this is what I do with an idle mind.

At any rate, you should come visit once I have my own apartment. It would be a tragic loss for me to not have you in my life at all.

BP