I need a James Bond Camera...

...which would allow me to take pictures of some of the more interesting things in Korea. Unfortunately, since security everywhere is so tight, I was unable to get a picture of lunch last Thursday. We went to visit a potential Tier customer and arrived about an hour and a half early so we could have lunch and strategize. All pretense of doing any actual work was dispensed of, however, as soon as the various side dishes were brought out to accompany another meal of Koran BBQ (this time spicy duck). The side dishes included the usual items such as kimchi and assorted cucumbers, roots, mushrooms. The new twist this time - silkworm grubs. Apparently before the silkworm turns into a worm that makes silk, it is a grub - about the size and shape of a large bee. My colleague Tim and I (Tim has a pretty adventurous palate, moreso that some previous North American guests) looked at each other and kind of silently agreed that we couldn't leave Korea without trying them. I wasn't too impressed, and I don't really know how to describe what they tasted like. To be honest, they looked kind of like peanuts, so maybe I was expecting them to taste like peanuts, so I pretty much decided I didn't care for them. All I know is they tasted like something you probably shouldn't eat, as in, "ugh, that didn't taste like food, I won't do that again."

So now I am sitting in the beautiful Ginny's apartment in Chicago waiting to go home. I've had a good, if not jet-lagged, visit in Chicago these past few days, but I am definitely ready to head home. Trip of Brother Rice and U of M fame is driving me home, bless him, since I kind of got stranded here (initially I was supposed to meet family here, but that fell through, and then as it turns out there is not a single rental car available anywhere in the city of Chicago). It's cold, rainy, and extremely windy, and I couldn't be happier to be back in the States! Right now we are thinking much of our activity in Korea can be managed from the US, so I have no immediate plans to go back, at least not for an extended period (maybe a week or two at a time). For now, I am enjoying my full week off of work, and can't wait to veg out with the fam and friends.