"You have exotic features...You must be from...

...tu eres de los estados unidos! Tu parles français?" So began my conversation with the old Korean man this morning on the subway. After asking me in Korean where I was from and quickly learning that I was from somewhere else as soon as I opened my mouth, he started to speak English, and then changed into Spanish followed by French. The rest of our conversation continued in Spanish and French pretty much as we discussed me living near New York, where he'd been in the US, what I was doing in Korea, etc. What Spanish and French we couldn't put together, English filled in. Who knew I knew enough French to do that or remembered all that Spanish? He was so excited to meet someone who knew something other than Korean or English that he wanted to practice the other two languages if he could. It was a nice change from the two reactions I usually get on the subway: 1) Who and what are you or 2) How come you don't understand me when I speak Korean to you?

Things picking up at the internship at last! Or maybe just for the time being. Met with someone from DC today and the organization is meeting with someone from the UN tomorrow so I'm doing lots of stuff that requires an excellent command of the English language (which I have, woohoo!) and not Korean for once. Who knew that it's the most prominent human rights organization in Korea? Apparently it's done the most significant amount of work towards helping refugees and working with international organizations to raise awareness and offer relief and such. The hole we work in might trick you...

On the pet note, today someone was selling kittens. KITTENS! I wanted to put them all in my pocket. While I have now walked by 2 people selling pets in the subway, I have yet to walk by a pet store that actually sells pets, not just toys and food.

Joining the gym tomorrow. Don't have Wilson's "Beijing Belly" but feeling icky and gross not doing anything. The humidity isn't helping this gross feeling either - it's so hot here!