"Hello", "Thank you", and "Goodbye"

Language basics in Nepal, South Korea, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and China...

Language	Hello	Thank you	Goodbye
Nepali	Namaste	Danyabad	Namaste
Korean	Annyong-haseo	Kamsa-hamnida	Annyong-hi...?
Myanmar	Mingalaba	Jezu-dembadeh	Da-da
Thai	Sawadee-kaa/krup	Carpoon-kaa/krup	Laa-kawn
Laos	Sa-bai-dee	Crup-jai-lai-lai	La-gon
Mandarin	Ni hao	Xie xie	Zai jian

The Demilitarized Zone (aka DMZ)

On my visit to the DMZ...

Things I love about Korea

Public bath houses

Triangle kimbap

...

Buh-bye Korea

MIA, but still alive...

Hello Friends and Family,

If you have emailed or checked my blog or Facebook lately, you'll have noticed that I've been MIA for a while now. I've been "crazy-busy" with work, and so am VERY behind in communication with you, my loved-ones. I want you to know that while I have a lot of reading to catch up with in my inbox, I AM THINKING OF YOU ALL, and MISS YOU!

I will send an update soon.

Love,
Deme

Lessons in Dumplings

Wonderfully distracted by my newly installed cable TV and Internet connection, I left my mandoo steaming a bit long. Korean Mandoo are similar to...

Jiao-zi in China
Momos in Nepal and Tibet
Gyoza in Japan
Potstickers in the US

The best dumplings I've had so far (besides Mom's) are the vegetable momos at Imago Dei Cafe in Kathmandu. But I don't think it's likely that I'll to run into many dumplings that I don't like.

Dumplings are almost always best steamed, as opposed to fried. But I'm also very partial to boiled jiao-zi.

Ooh! Chinese soaps are on TV!! ...

South Korea

I arrived in South Korea two weeks ago. And I begin teaching my first English class here on Thursday. Thus far, I've been preparing for the opening of the school, and doing student placement assessments. My bosses and coworkers are all really cool.

This is a picture of my desk at the office.