Hello everyone!

I have returned from a tremendous trip to South East Asia. It was a fabulous, unforgettable journey that was very wet and hot. I spent most of my time in a state of drenching sweat or drenching rain. But that didn't stop me from taking lots of photos, experiencing many new things and eating plenty of delicious food.

So where to start? I think I will begin with where I went first and for the shortest amount of time - Korea. In total, I spent 16 hours in Seoul, over two layovers. I have to hand it to the Koreans, they totally understand the importance of marketing and PR. Not only are they incredibly friendly, but they also work very hard to present their country in the best of all possible lights. Here are just a few examples:

For foreigners, they have totally free "cultural" centers in the airport, in which travelers can learn about traditional Korean arts by actually making some of it for themselves to take home... for free. How cool is it to have an authentic souvenir from a country you didn't even spend 24 hours in? That you made? And for FREE?? I took this twenty minute activity very seriously and expanded it easily to 40 minutes. I expected the center's staff would be kicking me out, but instead, they marveled at my dedication - "You are like professional!" I was impressed at how they tried to give me as much of a Korean experience I could have within the short time I was in their airport. They were not at all offended that I was only passing through. In fact, they encouraged me to visit the center on my way back out to make a different souvenir.

The airport also offers tours of the city for people with long - incredibly long- layovers. They are not free, but they are very reasonably priced considering the alternative of spending 12 hours in an airport. On my 5 hour tour of Seoul, the Koreans continued to make a lasting good impression by treating me like a celebrity. Literally. I lost track of how many photos were taken of me. I almost lost my group several times trying to keep up with the demand for photographs. I even had students interview me for an English class project. Nobody else in the tour group got any attention. I guess blonds do have more fun. Especially in Korea.

And then, there was the 8 year old boy who approached me out of the blue at the gate, offering me an orange. At first, I was completely taken aback, but quickly realized he was looking to practice his english and was giving me fruit in exchange for my services. During our conversation, I learned that he likes Harry Potter, the books as well as the movies. He is also familiar with Bill Clinton, the Kennedys and Obama. I asked him what exactly he knew about Obama. "He is graduate of Law School at Harvard." When I finished eating my orange, before I had a chance to throw the rinds away myself, he collected them and threw them away for me.

Talk about PR!